Darnell
- US rank
- Unranked
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #1,070 in 1948
0 babies were named Darnell in the US in 2025.
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1917–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Darnell you might not know, from US birth records. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
- HistoryDarnell first shows up in US birth records in 1912, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 113 years since.
- Best yearIts best year was 1948, when it reached #1,070.
About the name Darnell
Darnell is a girl name of English and Irish origin. It has 7 letters and 2 syllables, starting with D and ending in “-ell”. US birth records list Darnell for girls from 1917 to 2017, in 79 of those 101 years. Its best year was 1948, when it ranked #1,070 among girl names. It hasn't been given to 5 or more US babies in a year since 2017, so today it's a genuinely rare choice.
Origin:English namesIrish names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 4.4 | 225,564 girls |
| 1920s | 5.9 | 170,648 girls |
| 1930s | 7.3 | 136,054 girls |
| 1940s | 28 | 35,336 girls |
| 1950s | 31 | 32,457 girls |
| 1960s | 33 | 30,276 girls |
| 1970s | 22 | 45,351 girls |
| 1980s | 12 | 82,781 girls |
| 1990s | 3.3 | 307,692 girls |
| 2010s | 0.7 | 1,403,509 girls |
Other spellings of Darnell
More English girl names
- Girl name: Olivia · olive tree
- Girl name: Charlotte · free
- Unisex name: Harper · harp player
- Girl name: Elizabeth · God is my oath
- Girl name: Lily · lily flower
- Girl name: Lucy · light
- Girl name: Lainey · possibly light
- Girl name: Scarlett · scarlet red
Questions about the name Darnell
What is the origin of the name Darnell?
Darnell has English, Irish roots in our records. Other English names include Olivia, Charlotte, Harper.
Is Darnell a boy or girl name?
Darnell is a girl name, though a few boys get it too.
How popular is the name Darnell?
Darnell is rare: fewer than 5 US girls got it in 2025, and it was last given to 5 or more in 2017. It peaked at #1,070 in 1948.