Darnell Boy

Popularity: #882 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: DAR-nel //ˈdɑːrnɛl//

Origin: English; French

Meaning: English: hidden; French: from the thorny place

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Darnell has its roots in the Old French word "darnel," which refers to a type of grass, specifically the ryegrass that is often considered a weed. This term likely derives from the Latin "darniola," a diminutive form of "darnus," which means "to make strong or firm." The transition of the name into English occurred during the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, when many Old French words and names were adopted into the English language, particularly in the context of agriculture and land management.

Historically, Darnell has been used as both a surname and a given name. The earliest recorded instances of the name appear in England during the medieval period, where it was often associated with landowners and agricultural communities.

In the 14th century, the name began to appear in various documents, including land grants and legal records, reflecting the importance of agriculture in medieval society. The name's connection to the earth and farming may have contributed to its use in various regions of England.

Culturally, Darnell has been associated with themes of resilience and strength, drawing from its etymological roots related to fortitude. The name has also been linked to the natural world, symbolizing growth and sustenance.

Additionally, the name has a diminutive form, "Darny," which has been used informally, although it is less common. Overall, Darnell's historical significance and its ties to the agrarian lifestyle have allowed it to endure through the centuries as a name with deep cultural resonance.

Famous people named Darnell

In this section, you will find notable people named Darnell. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Darnell who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Darnell who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Darnell Dockett is a former American football defensive end best known for playing with the Arizona Cardinals and Florida State Seminoles.

Darnell McDonald is a former professional baseball outfielder best known for playing with the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds.

Fictional characters named Darnell

The following list of fictional characters named Darnell is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Darnell is a fictional character from the video game series Grand Theft Auto. He is a member of the gang known as the Families and plays a significant role in the storyline of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Darnell, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

DariusDarrellDanteDamonDerekDylan

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Darnell. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

ArnellDarnelDonnellJarnellMarcellTarnellYarnell

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Darnell was first seen in the United States in 1912.

Darnell has ranked as high as #586 nationally, which occurred in 1984, and has been most popular in Illinois, New York, California, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.

In the past 5 years the name Darnell has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Darnell is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Darnell was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Darnell.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 56 56 0
2024 63 63 0
2023 85 85 0
2022 95 95 0
2021 102 102 0
2020 99 99 0
2019 128 128 0
2018 129 129 0
2017 155 150 5
2016 151 151 0
2015 150 150 0
2014 197 197 0
2013 191 191 0
2012 203 203 0
2011 243 238 5
2010 235 235 0
2009 284 284 0
2008 313 313 0
2007 325 325 0
2006 305 305 0
2005 289 289 0
2004 271 271 0
2003 291 291 0
2002 262 262 0
2001 264 264 0
2000 274 274 0
1999 318 313 5
1998 354 354 0
1997 361 354 7
1996 412 412 0
1995 395 395 0
1994 482 469 13
1993 448 443 5
1992 543 532 11
1991 572 564 8
1990 688 678 10
1989 669 656 13
1988 668 652 16
1987 709 688 21
1986 710 692 18
1985 691 674 17
1984 770 741 29
1983 667 644 23
1982 562 539 23
1981 517 492 25
1980 537 516 21
1979 518 495 23
1978 591 566 25
1977 551 518 33
1976 499 473 26
1975 490 456 34
1974 457 428 29
1973 500 468 32
1972 502 468 34
1971 525 473 52
1970 539 483 56
1969 504 439 65
1968 437 385 52
1967 443 390 53
1966 416 353 63
1965 406 339 67
1964 445 385 60
1963 426 361 65
1962 408 354 54
1961 422 355 67
1960 382 328 54
1959 409 358 51
1958 457 392 65
1957 402 346 56
1956 362 307 55
1955 386 337 49
1954 346 291 55
1953 322 273 49
1952 341 274 67
1951 286 215 71
1950 246 176 70
1949 173 118 55
1948 177 109 68
1947 126 65 61
1946 109 74 35
1945 100 56 44
1944 88 52 36
1943 68 42 26
1942 63 36 27
1941 90 46 44
1940 56 35 21
1939 57 42 15
1938 45 35 10
1937 41 35 6
1936 32 24 8
1935 44 33 11
1934 40 29 11
1933 39 30 9
1932 24 16 8
1931 28 28 0
1930 22 22 0
1929 27 19 8
1928 28 20 8
1927 24 18 6
1926 31 23 8
1925 30 19 11
1924 40 30 10
1923 15 15 0
1922 31 25 6
1921 20 15 5
1920 21 13 8
1919 16 11 5
1918 15 10 5
1917 14 9 5
1916 6 6 0
1915 13 13 0
1913 5 5 0
1912 9 9 0

Top States for Darnell (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 10
48%
MI 6
29%
IL 5
24%