Total births
1,240
Unisex name · since 1950
Darcel
1,240 babies named Darcel in U.S. Social Security records since 1950, with the highest year being 1954. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 1,240
- total births
- 1950–1996
- years on record
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 42%
- born in that decade
1,240 girls have been named Darcel since 1950, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Darcel has 1,240 recorded births among girls since 1950, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used girls names, busiest in the 1950s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1950 to 1996.
- 1,240 total births
- 1950–1996 years on record
- 1950s peak decade
- 42% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
1,240 girls have been named Darcel since 1950, peaking in the 1950s, last recorded in 1996.
- 1,240
- total births
- 1950–1996
- years on record
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 42%
- born in that decade
1950s
Peak decade
42% of everyone ever named Darcel was born in this single decade.
1954
Single peak year
71 babies were named Darcel in 1954 - its busiest year on record.
Darcel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Darcel splits its recorded history at 1971: 30% of all births land in the more recent half, 70% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1996 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1954 peak of 71 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Darcel at a glance
Last recorded 1996Peak year
1954
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1950
Darcel popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1950–1996
- Peak year (1954)
- 71
- Annual births at peak, across 47 years of records
Darcel popularity over time - boys
131 total births recorded since 1952 (Darcel as boys' name)
Darcel by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Darcel's strongest decade.
516 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 42% of all-time use.
Darcel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s
1950s
516 births
- 1960s
1960s
328 births
- 1970s 137
1970s
137 births
- 1980s
1980s
225 births
- 1990s 34
1990s
34 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 516 births (42% of all-time use).
How Darcel compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Darcel's total volume
Darcel vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Darcel by state
Where Darcel concentrates geographically, total births since 1950
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 105 | 8.5% |
| #2 | Pennsylvania | | 91 | 7.3% |
| #3 | California | | 52 | 4.2% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 39 | 3.1% |
| #5 | Michigan | | 20 | 1.6% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 19 | 1.5% |
| #7 | New Jersey | | 7 | 0.6% |
| #8 | Louisiana | | 5 | 0.4% |
New York share of Darcel's total US births 8.5%
Even split
105 of 1,240 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 10 reporting states.
Darcel appears in 10 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Darcel? ▼
1,240 babies have been named Darcel since 1950. It was last recorded in 1996. The peak year was 1954 with 71 births.
When was Darcel most popular? ▼
Darcel was most popular in the 1950s decade with 516 total births. The single peak year was 1954.
Where is Darcel most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Darcel are New York (105 births), Pennsylvania (91 births), California (52 births).
Is Darcel a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Darcel is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 1,240 births, and as a boy's name it has 131 births.
How long has the name Darcel been used? ▼
Records for Darcel go back to 1950, giving 47 years of history through 1996.
What names are similar to Darcel? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Darlene, Darla, Darcy, Dara, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Darcel's data
- Darcel's decade-level peak was the 1950s (516 total births); usage has since declined to 34 in the 1990s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Darcels (105 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Darcel
Nearby Names Like Darcel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Darcel
Darlene Girl
#1779 204,942 births
Darla Girl
#1026 43,667 births
Darcy Girl
#978 23,418 births
Dara Girl
#1035 13,692 births
Daria Girl
#1955 9,063 births
Compare Darcel side by side: Darcel vs Darlene Darcel vs Darla Darcel vs Darcy
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of July 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1950–1996 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Darcel: Baby Name Since 1950 - 1,240 Births, Peak 1954." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/darcel. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Darcel draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of July 2026.