Darnell
From an English surname, explained either from a place name containing a word for a hidden corner or from darnel, a weedy grass of grain fields.
Darnell in 2025
Darnell was given to 56 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 5,215th most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 59,203 babies born.
The history of Darnell
Darnell reached its highest point in 1984, when 770 babies were given the name, ranking 586th that year.
Across the 114 years of records since 1912, 31,018 babies have been named Darnell. Half of them were born before 1981, which places the name's centre of gravity with Millennials.
Darnell by decade
| Decade | Babies named Darnell | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 78 | 3,509 |
| 1920s | 267 | 2,301 |
| 1930s | 372 | 1,674 |
| 1940s | 1,050 | 1,096 |
| 1950s | 3,557 | 792 |
| 1960s | 4,289 | 775 |
| 1970s | 5,172 | 664 |
| 1980s | 6,500 | 586 |
| 1990s | 4,573 | 733 |
| 2000s | 2,878 | 1,474 |
| 2010s | 1,782 | 1,871 |
| 2020s | 500 | 3,489 |
Where Darnell is heading
Darnell has fallen 63% over the past decade, from 150 babies in 2015 to 56 in 2025.
Names like Darnell
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Darnell.