Darrel Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: DARE-el //ˈdɛr.əl//
Origin: English; French
Meaning: English: beloved; French: dear
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Darrel is believed to have originated from the Old French name "D'Airelle," which means "from Airelle," a place name in France. This name was derived from the Latin word "Agaricus," referring to a type of mushroom, which may have been a local reference to the area.
The transition into English occurred during the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, when many French names were adopted into the English language, leading to the anglicized form Darrel. The name has also been linked to the Old English word "deor," meaning "animal" or "deer," which may have contributed to its adoption in various forms across different regions.
Historically, the name Darrel has been associated with several notable figures. In the 12th century, Darrel was used as a surname in England, and it appeared in various records throughout the medieval period.
The name gained further recognition in the 19th century through literary works and was sometimes seen in the context of English nobility. While not as prominent as some other names, it has been documented in various historical texts, indicating its presence in English-speaking cultures.
Culturally, the name Darrel has been associated with strength and resilience, qualities often attributed to its etymological roots. The name has also been linked to various diminutive forms, such as Darry or Daryl, which have appeared in literature and popular culture, further embedding the name in the social fabric of English-speaking communities.
Overall, Darrel carries a blend of historical significance and cultural resonance, reflecting its journey through language and time.
Famous people named Darrel
In this section, you will find notable people named Darrel. 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 Darrel who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Darrel 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.
Darrel S. Smith is a notable American artist best known for his contemporary paintings and installations.
Fictional characters named Darrel
The following list of fictional characters named Darrel 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.
Darrel is a fictional character from the novel The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. He is the older brother of Ponyboy Curtis and serves as a parental figure to him and their other brother, Sodapop.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Darrel, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Darrel. 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.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Darrel was first seen in the United States in 1900.
Darrel has ranked as high as #630 nationally, which occurred in 1960, and has been most popular in California, Illinois, Ohio, Minnesota, and Kansas.
In the past 5 years the name Darrel has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Darrel 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 Darrel was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Darrel (2021)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| FL | 5 |
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 Darrel.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 18 |
| 2023 | 18 |
| 2022 | 20 |
| 2021 | 37 |
| 2020 | 21 |
| 2019 | 28 |
| 2018 | 29 |
| 2017 | 19 |
| 2016 | 22 |
| 2015 | 30 |
| 2014 | 48 |
| 2013 | 40 |
| 2012 | 35 |
| 2011 | 43 |
| 2010 | 34 |
| 2009 | 42 |
| 2008 | 47 |
| 2007 | 42 |
| 2006 | 57 |
| 2005 | 63 |
| 2004 | 42 |
| 2003 | 55 |
| 2002 | 49 |
| 2001 | 70 |
| 2000 | 71 |
| 1999 | 75 |
| 1998 | 75 |
| 1997 | 97 |
| 1996 | 86 |
| 1995 | 84 |
| 1994 | 94 |
| 1993 | 144 |
| 1992 | 130 |
| 1991 | 178 |
| 1990 | 173 |
| 1989 | 191 |
| 1988 | 185 |
| 1987 | 213 |
| 1986 | 179 |
| 1985 | 173 |
| 1984 | 175 |
| 1983 | 181 |
| 1982 | 174 |
| 1981 | 188 |
| 1980 | 203 |
| 1979 | 223 |
| 1978 | 205 |
| 1977 | 204 |
| 1976 | 209 |
| 1975 | 217 |
| 1974 | 252 |
| 1973 | 261 |
| 1972 | 343 |
| 1971 | 352 |
| 1970 | 392 |
| 1969 | 400 |
| 1968 | 486 |
| 1967 | 483 |
| 1966 | 507 |
| 1965 | 499 |
| 1964 | 596 |
| 1963 | 584 |
| 1962 | 638 |
| 1961 | 646 |
| 1960 | 659 |
| 1959 | 645 |
| 1958 | 627 |
| 1957 | 641 |
| 1956 | 629 |
| 1955 | 608 |
| 1954 | 609 |
| 1953 | 561 |
| 1952 | 581 |
| 1951 | 603 |
| 1950 | 530 |
| 1949 | 597 |
| 1948 | 564 |
| 1947 | 650 |
| 1946 | 568 |
| 1945 | 431 |
| 1944 | 469 |
| 1943 | 503 |
| 1942 | 526 |
| 1941 | 492 |
| 1940 | 474 |
| 1939 | 475 |
| 1938 | 467 |
| 1937 | 375 |
| 1936 | 408 |
| 1935 | 414 |
| 1934 | 358 |
| 1933 | 330 |
| 1932 | 338 |
| 1931 | 304 |
| 1930 | 265 |
| 1929 | 249 |
| 1928 | 244 |
| 1927 | 219 |
| 1926 | 215 |
| 1925 | 182 |
| 1924 | 206 |
| 1923 | 145 |
| 1922 | 151 |
| 1921 | 144 |
| 1920 | 143 |
| 1919 | 108 |
| 1918 | 105 |
| 1917 | 85 |
| 1916 | 92 |
| 1915 | 86 |
| 1914 | 42 |
| 1913 | 32 |
| 1912 | 42 |
| 1911 | 12 |
| 1910 | 8 |
| 1909 | 5 |
| 1908 | 8 |
| 1907 | 13 |
| 1906 | 8 |
| 1905 | 11 |
| 1903 | 6 |
| 1901 | 5 |
| 1900 | 7 |