Total births
2,168
Boys' name · since 1915
Darel
Since 1915, U.S. Social Security records show 2,168 babies named Darel, peaking in 2025. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #6234
- among boys today
- 2,168
- born since 1915
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 56%
- more common than other boys
Darel currently ranks #6234 among boys' names in America, with 2,168 babies recorded since 1915.
Darel has 2,168 recorded births among boys since 1915, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #6234 as of the latest data, more common than 56% of boys, busiest in the 1960s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1915 to 2025.
- #6234 among boys today
- 2,168 born since 1915
- 1960s peak decade
- 56% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Darel is currently the #6234 boys' name in America, more common than 56% of boys - 2,168 born since 1915, peaking in the 1960s.
- #6234
- among boys today
- 2,168
- born since 1915
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 56%
- more common than other boys
Darel vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#6234
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 56% of names given to boys today.
1960s
Peak decade
17% of everyone ever named Darel was born in this single decade.
2025
Single peak year
52 babies were named Darel in 2025 - its busiest year on record.
How Darel compares
2,168 Top 20% higher than 80% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Darel's all-time total is 6x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Darel | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,168 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 52 | 23 | 22,252 |
Darel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Darel splits its recorded history at 1970: 36% of all births land in the more recent half, 64% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1916 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2025 peak of 52 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Darel at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2025
Current rank
#6,234
Active since
1915
Darel popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1915–2025
- Peak year (2025)
- 52
- Annual births at peak, across 111 years of records
Darel popularity over time - girls
5 total births recorded since 1988 (Darel as girls' name)
Darel by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Darel's strongest decade.
367 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 17% of all-time use.
Darel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 47
1910s
47 births
- 1920s 137
1920s
137 births
- 1930s
1930s
192 births
- 1940s
1940s
286 births
- 1950s
1950s
352 births
- 1960s
1960s
367 births
- 1970s
1970s
195 births
- 1980s 137
1980s
137 births
- 1990s
1990s
149 births
- 2000s 86
2000s
86 births
- 2010s 104
2010s
104 births
- 2020s 116
2020s
116 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 367 births (17% of all-time use).
How Darel compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Darel's total volume
Darel vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Darel by state
Where Darel concentrates geographically, total births since 1915
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 50 | 2.3% |
| #2 | Texas | | 39 | 1.8% |
| #3 | Florida | | 12 | 0.6% |
| #4 | Ohio | | 11 | 0.5% |
| #5 | Iowa | | 5 | 0.2% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 5 | 0.2% |
| #7 | Mississippi | | 5 | 0.2% |
| #8 | Pennsylvania | | 5 | 0.2% |
California share of Darel's total US births 2.3%
Even split
50 of 2,168 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 10 reporting states.
Darel appears in 10 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Darel? ▼
2,168 babies have been named Darel since 1915. It currently ranks #6234 among boys. The peak year was 2025 with 52 births.
When was Darel most popular? ▼
Darel was most popular in the 1960s decade with 367 total births. The single peak year was 2025.
Where is Darel most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Darel are California (50 births), Texas (39 births), Florida (12 births).
How long has the name Darel been used? ▼
Darel has been recorded in Social Security data since 1915, spanning 111 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Darel? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Darrell, Darren, Darryl, Daryl, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Darel's data
- Darel's decade-level peak was the 1960s (367 total births); usage has since declined to 116 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Darels (50 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Darel
Nearby Names Like Darel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Darel
Darrell Boy
#1460 159,766 births
Darren Boy
#954 103,937 births
Darryl Boy
#1798 92,285 births
Daryl Boy
#2001 63,058 births
Darius Boy
#746 54,006 births
Compare Darel side by side: Darel vs Darrell Darel vs Darren Darel vs Darryl
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Darel
Data Sources
Data as of June 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, 1915–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Darel: #6234 Boys' Name - 2,168 Births, Peak 2025." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/darel. 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 Darel 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 June 2026.