Darryl Boy

Popularity: #869 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: DAIR-ul //ˈdɛr.əl//

Origin: English; French

Meaning: English: beloved; French: dear

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Darryl is believed to have originated from the Old French name "D'Airelle," which means "from Airelle," a place name derived from the word for a type of berry. The name made its way into English through the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, when many French names were adopted into the English language.

The spelling "Darryl" became more standardized in the 20th century, particularly in English-speaking countries, although variations such as "Daryl" also exist. Historically, the name Darryl gained some prominence in the 20th century, particularly in the United States.

It was popularized by various cultural references, including notable figures in sports and entertainment. The name has been associated with characters in literature and film, contributing to its recognition.

However, specific historical milestones directly linked to the name are less documented compared to more traditional names with biblical or royal connections. Culturally, the name Darryl has been embraced in various contexts, often symbolizing strength and resilience.

It has been used in popular media, which has helped to solidify its place in contemporary culture. The name's phonetic appeal and straightforward pronunciation have contributed to its endurance over the years.

While diminutive forms such as "Darry" may be used informally, the name Darryl itself has maintained a distinct identity throughout its history.

Famous people named Darryl

In this section, you will find notable people named Darryl. 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 Darryl who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Darryl 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.

Darryl Strawberry is a former professional baseball player best known for his time with the New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, and New York Yankees.

Darryl Hall is a musician best known as one half of the duo Hall & Oates, known for hits like Maneater and Rich Girl.

Darryl McDaniels is a rapper best known as a member of the hip hop group Run-D.M.C., known for songs like It's Like That and Walk This Way.

Darryl Sittler is a former professional ice hockey player best known for his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs and for scoring six goals in one game.

Darryl Jones is a musician best known as the bassist for The Rolling Stones since 1993.

Fictional characters named Darryl

The following list of fictional characters named Darryl 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.

Darryl is a fictional character from the TV series The Office. He is the warehouse foreman who often provides comic relief and insight into the dynamics of the office staff.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Darryl, 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 Darryl. 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 Darryl was first seen in the United States in 1913.

Darryl has ranked as high as #176 nationally, which occurred in 1961, and has been most popular in California, New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Michigan.

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

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Darryl 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 Darryl 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 Darryl.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 69 69 0
2024 91 91 0
2023 89 89 0
2022 104 104 0
2021 102 102 0
2020 115 115 0
2019 133 133 0
2018 136 136 0
2017 138 138 0
2016 184 184 0
2015 193 193 0
2014 178 178 0
2013 192 192 0
2012 212 212 0
2011 215 209 6
2010 213 213 0
2009 235 235 0
2008 294 294 0
2007 242 242 0
2006 271 271 0
2005 260 260 0
2004 277 277 0
2003 281 281 0
2002 332 332 0
2001 354 346 8
2000 384 384 0
1999 400 391 9
1998 428 420 8
1997 495 488 7
1996 532 522 10
1995 549 538 11
1994 642 632 10
1993 721 704 17
1992 805 793 12
1991 1,012 1,003 9
1990 1,067 1,054 13
1989 1,145 1,130 15
1988 1,092 1,080 12
1987 1,105 1,076 29
1986 1,093 1,075 18
1985 1,145 1,126 19
1984 1,089 1,078 11
1983 989 974 15
1982 1,000 986 14
1981 951 940 11
1980 856 848 8
1979 770 761 9
1978 741 727 14
1977 701 694 7
1976 711 705 6
1975 684 674 10
1974 715 708 7
1973 794 785 9
1972 912 900 12
1971 1,074 1,064 10
1970 1,381 1,367 14
1969 1,606 1,593 13
1968 2,089 2,067 22
1967 2,856 2,826 30
1966 3,858 3,817 41
1965 4,963 4,925 38
1964 4,455 4,420 35
1963 5,059 5,013 46
1962 5,008 4,969 39
1961 5,178 5,134 44
1960 4,481 4,436 45
1959 2,801 2,777 24
1958 1,842 1,818 24
1957 1,818 1,798 20
1956 1,512 1,482 30
1955 1,451 1,425 26
1954 1,357 1,331 26
1953 1,291 1,268 23
1952 1,125 1,099 26
1951 1,094 1,074 20
1950 1,024 1,011 13
1949 890 858 32
1948 851 835 16
1947 852 826 26
1946 665 650 15
1945 484 470 14
1944 437 420 17
1943 414 401 13
1942 479 468 11
1941 417 417 0
1940 412 405 7
1939 435 427 8
1938 355 341 14
1937 223 223 0
1936 187 181 6
1935 135 135 0
1934 97 97 0
1933 71 71 0
1932 45 45 0
1931 18 18 0
1930 20 20 0
1929 23 23 0
1928 15 15 0
1927 21 21 0
1926 16 16 0
1925 16 16 0
1924 12 12 0
1923 8 8 0
1922 8 8 0
1921 5 5 0
1919 7 7 0
1918 8 8 0
1917 7 7 0
1916 6 6 0
1915 5 5 0
1914 8 8 0
1913 6 6 0

Top States for Darryl (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
TX 9
21%
FL 7
17%
VA 6
14%
CA 5
12%
MD 5
12%
OH 5
12%
PA 5
12%