Girls' name · since 1936
Darlen
Darlen has 184 recorded births since 1936 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2008 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #20,645 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 184
- born since 1936
- 1960s
- peak decade
Darlen is not among the current top-ranked girls names; 184 have been recorded since 1936.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Darlen has been recorded 184 times among girls since 1936, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1960s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1936 to 2022.
- #20,645 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 184 born since 1936
- 1960s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Darlen ranks #20,645 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 184 born since 1936, peaking in the 1960s.
- #20,645 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 184
- born since 1936
- 1960s
- peak decade
Darlen's 184 recorded births place it above 71.39% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.
Darlen's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Darlen's SSA record in two at 1987 and the more recent half accounts for 48% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 52%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1936, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2008 peak of 11, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Darlen popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1936–2022
- Peak year (2008)
- 11
- Annual births at peak, across 87 years of records
Darlen by decade
1960s is the heaviest window (51 births, 28% of the file).
1960s was Darlen's strongest decade.
51 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 28% of all-time use.
Darlen births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1930s 10
1930s
10 births
- 1950s
1950s
29 births
- 1960s
1960s
51 births
- 1970s 5
1970s
5 births
- 1980s 10
1980s
10 births
- 1990s 5
1990s
5 births
- 2000s
2000s
39 births
- 2010s
2010s
30 births
- 2020s 5
2020s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 51 births (28% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Darlen's data
- Darlen's decade-level peak was the 1960s (51 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Darlen
Nearby Names Like Darlen
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Darlen
Compare Darlen side by side: Darlen vs Darlene Darlen vs Darla Darlen vs Darcy
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Darlen: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~2008)
Similar record span (~86 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1936–2022 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Darlen 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 August 2026.