Daryl
Daryl was the 1529th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 113 babies. Its best year was 1970, when it ranked 161st; the most babies were born in 1956 (1,832). Over the last ten years it has moved down 369 places. More babies were named Daryl in the 1960s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Darrell) from d'Airel (Norman place name) · French
- Rank in 2025
- #1,529 boys, up 119 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 113boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 19561,832 babies
- Total since 1880
- 67,477babies recorded
What does the name Daryl mean?
Daryl 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)
Daryl popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 4,419 since 1915.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,529 | 113 |
| 2020 | #1,648 | 97 |
| 2010 | #1,470 | 111 |
| 2000 | #735 | 233 |
| 1990 | #442 | 499 |
| 1980 | #276 | 763 |
| 1970 | #161 | 1,793 |
| 1960 | #188 | 1,654 |
| 1950 | #205 | 976 |
| 1940 | #307 | 333 |
| 1930 | #516 | 134 |
| 1920 | #966 | 51 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Daryl, counting every spelling?
Daryl is a spelling of Darrell, a name family that ranked #631 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #1,529 for Daryl 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 Daryl?
113 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Daryl (0.03 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Daryl 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 74 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Daryl.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Daryl?
About 47,800 people born in the US named Daryl are alive today, with a median age of 57; half are between 45 and 67. That makes Daryl 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.
Daryl by state
How common Daryl was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Pennsylvania (1.7×), New York (1.6×). In 40 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 Daryl: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Daryl, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Daryl
What does Daryl mean?
Daryl is a spelling of Darrell, which means “from d'Airel (Norman place name)” (French origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Daryl?
Daryl was the 1529th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 113 babies. Its best year was 1970, when it ranked 161st; the most babies were born in 1956 (1,832). Over the last ten years it has moved down 369 places. More babies were named Daryl in the 1960s than in any other decade.
Is Daryl a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Daryl in the US.
Where is Daryl most popular?
In 2021–2025, Daryl was most common in Pennsylvania (0.09 per 1,000 boys), followed by New York and Iowa.