Darrel Boy

Popularity: #906 · Trend: ↘ Falling

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
100%

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.

YearBirths
202418
202318
202220
202137
202021
201928
201829
201719
201622
201530
201448
201340
201235
201143
201034
200942
200847
200742
200657
200563
200442
200355
200249
200170
200071
199975
199875
199797
199686
199584
199494
1993144
1992130
1991178
1990173
1989191
1988185
1987213
1986179
1985173
1984175
1983181
1982174
1981188
1980203
1979223
1978205
1977204
1976209
1975217
1974252
1973261
1972343
1971352
1970392
1969400
1968486
1967483
1966507
1965499
1964596
1963584
1962638
1961646
1960659
1959645
1958627
1957641
1956629
1955608
1954609
1953561
1952581
1951603
1950530
1949597
1948564
1947650
1946568
1945431
1944469
1943503
1942526
1941492
1940474
1939475
1938467
1937375
1936408
1935414
1934358
1933330
1932338
1931304
1930265
1929249
1928244
1927219
1926215
1925182
1924206
1923145
1922151
1921144
1920143
1919108
1918105
191785
191692
191586
191442
191332
191242
191112
19108
19095
19088
190713
19068
190511
19036
19015
19007