Darrell Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: DARE-el //ˈdɛr.əl//
Origin: English; French
Meaning: English: beloved; French: to be dear
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Darrell has its roots in the Old French surname "Darell," which is derived from the Norman personal name "Darel," itself a diminutive of the name "Dare," meaning "beloved" or "dear." This name entered the English language following the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, when many Norman names and surnames were adopted by the English populace. The transition from the surname to a given name occurred over several centuries, with the name becoming more common in England by the late Middle Ages.
Historically, the name Darrell has been associated with various notable figures, including members of the English gentry and nobility. One significant milestone in the name's history is its appearance in literary works, particularly during the Renaissance when names reflecting affection and endearment became popular.
The name has also been linked to the Darrell family, who were prominent in English history, particularly in the 15th and 16th centuries, contributing to its recognition. Culturally, the name Darrell has been associated with qualities of warmth and affection, resonating with its etymological roots.
It has been used in various forms of literature and art, often symbolizing loyalty and fondness. The name's diminutive form, Darry, has also been used historically, though it is less common.
Overall, Darrell reflects a blend of linguistic evolution and cultural significance, maintaining its relevance through its historical associations and the sentiments it evokes.
Famous people named Darrell
In this section, you will find notable people named Darrell. 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 Darrell who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Darrell 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.
Darrell Waltrip is a former NASCAR driver and commentator best known for winning three NASCAR Cup Series championships and his work with Fox Sports.
Darrell Hammond is an actor and comedian best known for his work on Saturday Night Live, as well as roles in films like Scary Movie 3 and 4.
Darrell Green is a former professional American football player best known for his career with the Washington Redskins and being a two-time Super Bowl champion.
Fictional characters named Darrell
The following list of fictional characters named Darrell 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.
Darrell Rivers is a fictional character from the book series Malory Towers by Enid Blyton. She is a determined and spirited girl who navigates the challenges of boarding school life.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Darrell, 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 Darrell. 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 Darrell was first seen in the United States in 1886.
Darrell has ranked as high as #189 nationally, which occurred in 1958, and has been most popular in California, Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky, and Missouri.
In the past 5 years the name Darrell has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Darrell 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 Darrell was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Darrell (2024)
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 |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 18 | |
| CA | 10 | |
| FL | 9 | |
| IL | 8 | |
| NY | 6 | |
| IN | 6 | |
| LA | 6 | |
| NC | 6 | |
| GA | 5 | |
| MI | 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 Darrell.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 123 |
| 2023 | 110 |
| 2022 | 127 |
| 2021 | 130 |
| 2020 | 147 |
| 2019 | 169 |
| 2018 | 189 |
| 2017 | 240 |
| 2016 | 235 |
| 2015 | 226 |
| 2014 | 259 |
| 2013 | 286 |
| 2012 | 288 |
| 2011 | 338 |
| 2010 | 304 |
| 2009 | 317 |
| 2008 | 388 |
| 2007 | 416 |
| 2006 | 415 |
| 2005 | 405 |
| 2004 | 410 |
| 2003 | 400 |
| 2002 | 405 |
| 2001 | 453 |
| 2000 | 499 |
| 1999 | 545 |
| 1998 | 533 |
| 1997 | 556 |
| 1996 | 609 |
| 1995 | 628 |
| 1994 | 746 |
| 1993 | 876 |
| 1992 | 915 |
| 1991 | 1,020 |
| 1990 | 1,128 |
| 1989 | 1,207 |
| 1988 | 1,213 |
| 1987 | 1,232 |
| 1986 | 1,308 |
| 1985 | 1,324 |
| 1984 | 1,335 |
| 1983 | 1,332 |
| 1982 | 1,391 |
| 1981 | 1,361 |
| 1980 | 1,462 |
| 1979 | 1,528 |
| 1978 | 1,466 |
| 1977 | 1,655 |
| 1976 | 1,660 |
| 1975 | 1,672 |
| 1974 | 1,840 |
| 1973 | 1,978 |
| 1972 | 2,311 |
| 1971 | 2,814 |
| 1970 | 3,148 |
| 1969 | 3,248 |
| 1968 | 3,446 |
| 1967 | 3,652 |
| 1966 | 3,496 |
| 1965 | 3,890 |
| 1964 | 3,969 |
| 1963 | 4,094 |
| 1962 | 3,878 |
| 1961 | 4,202 |
| 1960 | 4,149 |
| 1959 | 4,647 |
| 1958 | 4,770 |
| 1957 | 4,571 |
| 1956 | 4,468 |
| 1955 | 3,902 |
| 1954 | 3,644 |
| 1953 | 3,149 |
| 1952 | 2,868 |
| 1951 | 2,745 |
| 1950 | 2,494 |
| 1949 | 2,518 |
| 1948 | 2,336 |
| 1947 | 2,285 |
| 1946 | 1,905 |
| 1945 | 1,522 |
| 1944 | 1,580 |
| 1943 | 1,529 |
| 1942 | 1,591 |
| 1941 | 1,530 |
| 1940 | 1,430 |
| 1939 | 1,340 |
| 1938 | 1,356 |
| 1937 | 1,260 |
| 1936 | 1,208 |
| 1935 | 1,152 |
| 1934 | 1,129 |
| 1933 | 1,026 |
| 1932 | 992 |
| 1931 | 834 |
| 1930 | 828 |
| 1929 | 698 |
| 1928 | 647 |
| 1927 | 603 |
| 1926 | 578 |
| 1925 | 523 |
| 1924 | 509 |
| 1923 | 462 |
| 1922 | 379 |
| 1921 | 370 |
| 1920 | 359 |
| 1919 | 291 |
| 1918 | 250 |
| 1917 | 241 |
| 1916 | 222 |
| 1915 | 231 |
| 1914 | 130 |
| 1913 | 116 |
| 1912 | 94 |
| 1911 | 38 |
| 1910 | 29 |
| 1909 | 15 |
| 1908 | 18 |
| 1907 | 23 |
| 1906 | 14 |
| 1905 | 11 |
| 1904 | 9 |
| 1903 | 8 |
| 1902 | 11 |
| 1901 | 7 |
| 1900 | 9 |
| 1899 | 8 |
| 1898 | 14 |
| 1897 | 10 |
| 1896 | 6 |
| 1895 | 5 |
| 1894 | 5 |
| 1893 | 5 |
| 1891 | 6 |
| 1890 | 5 |
| 1886 | 5 |