Darryl
Darryl was the 2115th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 69 babies. Its best year was 1965, when it ranked 68th; the most babies were born in 1961 (5,134). Over the last ten years it has moved down 1,076 places. More babies were named Darryl in the 1960s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Darrell) from d'Airel (Norman place name) · French
- Rank in 2025
- #2,115 boys, down 636 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 69boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 19615,134 babies
- Total since 1880
- 93,419babies recorded
What does the name Darryl mean?
Darryl is a spelling of Darrell, pronounced the same way, so it shares Darrell's meaning and origin.
Darrell comes from d'Airel, the name of a Norman family from a place called Airelle in Calvados, Normandy, as Wiktionary notes. It was transferred from the surname to a first name in the 19th century and was common in the US in the mid-20th century. The meaning of the French place name is not documented.
d'Airel (Norman French, “from Airelle”)
How sure is this? Well established. The place name's own meaning is unknown.
Related names: Darryl, Daryl, Darel.
See also: French names, names from places.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Darrell', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- US Social Security Administration, national baby-name data 1880-2025 (our computation), SSA (public domain)
Darryl popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 1,134 since 1936.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,115 | 69 |
| 2020 | #1,479 | 115 |
| 2010 | #943 | 213 |
| 2000 | #550 | 384 |
| 1990 | #256 | 1,054 |
| 1980 | #259 | 848 |
| 1970 | #195 | 1,367 |
| 1960 | #96 | 4,436 |
| 1950 | #203 | 1,011 |
| 1940 | #279 | 405 |
| 1930 | #1,657 | 20 |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Darryl, counting every spelling?
Darryl is a spelling of Darrell, a name family that ranked #631 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #2,115 for Darryl on its own. Together these spellings went to 435 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Darrell | 97 | #1,691 | 588 |
| Darryl | 69 | #2,115 | 455 |
| Daryl | 113 | #1,529 | 435 |
| Darell | 87 | #1,828 | 355 |
| Darrel | 17 | #5,435 | 110 |
| Darel | 52 | #2,542 | 103 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Darryl?
69 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Darryl (0.02 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Darryl born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 122 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Darryl.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Darryl?
About 73,100 people born in the US named Darryl are alive today, with a median age of 60; half are between 43 and 65. That makes Darryl a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Darryl by state
How common Darryl was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. In 37 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Darryl: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Darryl, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Darryl
What does Darryl mean?
Darryl is a spelling of Darrell, which means “from d'Airel (Norman place name)” (French origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Darryl?
Darryl was the 2115th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 69 babies. Its best year was 1965, when it ranked 68th; the most babies were born in 1961 (5,134). Over the last ten years it has moved down 1,076 places. More babies were named Darryl in the 1960s than in any other decade.
Is Darryl a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Darryl in the US.
Where is Darryl most popular?
In 2021–2025, Darryl was most common in Maryland (0.09 per 1,000 boys), followed by Virginia and Georgia.