Darrell

Darrell - A very unique male name

Darrell appeared on the charts for the first time in 1911 on position #654. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Darrell and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Darrell? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Darrell. The baby boy name Darrell was given to 47 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1749 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 31,198 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Darrell peaked in popularity 59 years ago in 1967 on position 86.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Darrell, 1-5?

Darrell is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Darrell is currently topping the baby name charts in Maryland at position #727 - and is the least popular in Texas at position #2,132.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Darrell is where you live.

---

Comment and discuss

---

Darrell origin and meaning

Transferred surname, Norman French

A surname from the Norman French d'Airelle, from a place called Airelle in northern France; the place name's own meaning is uncertain

Darrell travelled from a Norman surname into American first-name use and became a mid-century staple, peaking in 1958. The surname's source place is documented, but what Airelle itself meant is not, so the name's ultimate meaning stays open. It has been falling for decades, with a strong country and sporting flavour in its remaining image.

Origin uncertain

Darrell is a 7 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Darrell, pop culture references for the name Darrell and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Darrell

We've found the following names that sound similar to Darrell, sorted by popularity.

Darryl / Daryl / Darrel / Dariel / Derrell / Darell / Daryle / Darl / Durrell / Durell /

---

Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Darrell

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Darrell a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Darrell?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

---

Pronunciation

DAIR-ul · /ˈdɛərəl/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Daryl — The streamlined spelling, a separate established variant
• Darrel — A one-l spelling variant
• Darell — A rare variant

Famous bearers

• Darrell Waltrip — American NASCAR driver and broadcaster, three-time Cup Series champion (b. 1947) Contemporary

Style

SurnameClassic

Why parents choose it

A sturdy, friendly mid-century name with genuine NASCAR heritage and very little current use.

Worth knowing

• It peaked in 1958 and the Darrell/Daryl/Darrel spellings are constantly interchanged.