Daryl Boy

Popularity: #825 · Trend: ↘ Falling

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

Origin: English; French

Meaning: English: beloved; French: dear

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Daryl has its roots in the Old French name "D'Airelle," which means "from Airelle." This name was derived from the word "airelle," referring to a type of berry, specifically the bilberry or huckleberry. The transition of the name into English occurred during the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, when many Old French names were adopted into the English language.

Over time, the name evolved into various forms, including Daryl, which became more standardized in the 20th century. Historically, the name Daryl gained prominence in the 20th century, particularly in the United States.

It is often associated with the mid-20th century cultural milieu, including literature and film. Notably, the name was popularized by the character Daryl Dixon from the television series "The Walking Dead," which began airing in the early 2010s.

However, its roots can be traced back to earlier usages, where it appeared in various forms in literature and records, although specific historical figures bearing the name are less documented. Culturally, Daryl has been associated with qualities such as strength and resilience, likely influenced by its usage in popular media.

The name has also been linked to various diminutive forms, such as Darry, which have appeared in informal contexts. While the name Daryl may not have the same historical weight as some biblical or royal names, its evolution reflects broader trends in naming practices and cultural influences throughout the centuries.

Famous people named Daryl

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

We also feature individuals named Daryl 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.

Daryl Hannah is an actress best known for Splash, Blade Runner, and Kill Bill.

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

Daryl Hall is a musician best known as a member of Hall & Oates, known for hits like Maneater and Rich Girl.

Daryl Sattler is a professional wrestler best known for his work in various independent wrestling promotions.

Daryl McCormack is an actor best known for his roles in Peaky Blinders, Bad Sisters, and the film Good Luck to You, Leo Grande.

Fictional characters named Daryl

The following list of fictional characters named Daryl 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.

Daryl Dixon is a fictional character from the comic book series and TV show The Walking Dead. He is a skilled hunter and tracker who becomes a key member of the survivor group.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Daryl, 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 Daryl. 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 Daryl was first seen in the United States in 1912.

Daryl has ranked as high as #340 nationally, which occurred in 1956, and has been most popular in California, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan.

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

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Daryl 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 Daryl 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 Daryl.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 113 113 0
2024 77 77 0
2023 75 75 0
2022 78 78 0
2021 92 92 0
2020 97 97 0
2019 74 74 0
2018 99 99 0
2017 139 130 9
2016 142 142 0
2015 169 161 8
2014 139 139 0
2013 143 138 5
2012 106 100 6
2011 115 104 11
2010 118 111 7
2009 144 136 8
2008 170 163 7
2007 174 165 9
2006 192 178 14
2005 195 185 10
2004 172 161 11
2003 186 175 11
2002 192 181 11
2001 216 199 17
2000 256 233 23
1999 236 211 25
1998 275 242 33
1997 323 293 30
1996 332 291 41
1995 358 310 48
1994 405 354 51
1993 462 409 53
1992 474 422 52
1991 542 488 54
1990 572 499 73
1989 624 567 57
1988 726 649 77
1987 754 679 75
1986 765 689 76
1985 768 715 53
1984 663 633 30
1983 671 656 15
1982 740 719 21
1981 784 770 14
1980 780 763 17
1979 893 871 22
1978 860 839 21
1977 1,016 1,000 16
1976 911 896 15
1975 865 840 25
1974 974 954 20
1973 1,062 1,028 34
1972 1,230 1,200 30
1971 1,630 1,593 37
1970 1,829 1,793 36
1969 1,661 1,605 56
1968 1,568 1,513 55
1967 1,387 1,340 47
1966 1,391 1,330 61
1965 1,472 1,429 43
1964 1,606 1,529 77
1963 1,679 1,610 69
1962 1,639 1,577 62
1961 1,760 1,681 79
1960 1,751 1,654 97
1959 1,666 1,560 106
1958 1,890 1,787 103
1957 1,809 1,693 116
1956 1,968 1,832 136
1955 1,682 1,536 146
1954 1,596 1,468 128
1953 1,472 1,354 118
1952 1,324 1,183 141
1951 1,275 1,117 158
1950 1,141 976 165
1949 1,132 977 155
1948 989 855 134
1947 847 735 112
1946 679 600 79
1945 466 392 74
1944 425 370 55
1943 410 361 49
1942 385 336 49
1941 380 331 49
1940 382 333 49
1939 336 288 48
1938 279 242 37
1937 265 229 36
1936 234 207 27
1935 158 134 24
1934 171 158 13
1933 186 172 14
1932 165 154 11
1931 133 124 9
1930 152 134 18
1929 131 122 9
1928 113 106 7
1927 124 117 7
1926 139 126 13
1925 105 95 10
1924 112 102 10
1923 101 95 6
1922 205 199 6
1921 67 67 0
1920 56 51 5
1919 39 39 0
1918 35 35 0
1917 40 32 8
1916 25 16 9
1915 36 30 6
1914 22 22 0
1913 6 6 0
1912 13 13 0

Top States for Daryl (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
NY 9
33%
PA 7
26%
CA 6
22%
NC 5
19%