Total births
204,942
Girls' name · since 1896
Darlene
Since 1896, U.S. Social Security records show 204,942 babies named Darlene, peaking in 1958. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #1779
- among girls today
- 204,942
- born since 1896
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 90%
- more common than other girls
204,942 babies have been named Darlene since 1896, making it today's #1779 girls' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Darlene has been recorded 204,942 times among girls since 1896, currently ranked #1779 nationally and more common than 90% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 1950s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1896 to 2025.
- #1779 among girls today
- 204,942 born since 1896
- 1950s peak decade
- 90% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Darlene is currently the #1779 girls' name in America, more common than 90% of girls - 204,942 born since 1896, peaking in the 1950s.
- #1779
- among girls today
- 204,942
- born since 1896
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 90%
- more common than other girls
Darlene vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#1779
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 90% of names given to girls today.
1950s
Peak decade
30% of everyone ever named Darlene was born in this single decade.
1958
Single peak year
8,278 babies were named Darlene in 1958 - its busiest year on record.
How Darlene compares
204,942 Top 1% higher than 99% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls 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
Darlene's all-time total is 536x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Darlene | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 204,942 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 8,278 | 48 | 19,840 |
Darlene's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Darlene splits its recorded history at 1962: 28% of all births land in the more recent half, 72% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1896 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1958 peak of 8,278 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Darlene at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1958
Current rank
#1,779
Active since
1896
Darlene popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1896–2025
- Peak year (1958)
- 8,278
- Annual births at peak, across 130 years of records
Darlene popularity over time - boys
604 total births recorded since 1927 (Darlene as boys' name)
Darlene by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Darlene's strongest decade.
61,886 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 30% of all-time use.
Darlene births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 11
1890s
11 births
- 1900s 92
1900s
92 births
- 1910s 1,000
1910s
1,000 births
- 1920s 7,426
1920s
7,426 births
- 1930s
1930s
25,956 births
- 1940s
1940s
40,321 births
- 1950s
1950s
61,886 births
- 1960s
1960s
43,527 births
- 1970s 11,484
1970s
11,484 births
- 1980s 5,184
1980s
5,184 births
- 1990s 3,348
1990s
3,348 births
- 2000s 2,372
2000s
2,372 births
- 2010s 1,685
2010s
1,685 births
- 2020s 650
2020s
650 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 61,886 births (30% of all-time use).
How Darlene 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 Darlene's total volume
Darlene vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Darlene by state
Where Darlene concentrates geographically, total births since 1896
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 18,933 | 9.2% |
| #2 | Pennsylvania | | 15,373 | 7.5% |
| #3 | New York | | 14,190 | 6.9% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 12,964 | 6.3% |
| #5 | Ohio | | 12,615 | 6.2% |
| #6 | Michigan | | 10,775 | 5.3% |
| #7 | Texas | | 7,424 | 3.6% |
| #8 | Wisconsin | | 7,024 | 3.4% |
California share of Darlene's total US births 9.2%
Even split
18,933 of 204,942 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Darlene appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Darlene? ▼
Since 1896, Social Security records show 204,942 babies named Darlene. Today it holds rank #1779 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 1958, with 8,278 births.
When was Darlene most popular? ▼
Darlene was most popular in the 1950s decade with 61,886 total births. The single peak year was 1958.
Where is Darlene most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Darlene are California (18,933 births), Pennsylvania (15,373 births), New York (14,190 births).
How long has the name Darlene been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Darlene since 1896 -- 130 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Darlene? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Darla, Darcy, Dara, Daria, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Darlene's data
- Darlene's decade-level peak was the 1950s (61,886 total births); usage has since declined to 650 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Darlenes (18,933 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 Darlene
Nearby Names Like Darlene
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Darlene
Darla Girl
#1026 43,667 births
Darcy Girl
#978 23,418 births
Dara Girl
#1035 13,692 births
Daria Girl
#1955 9,063 births
Darby Girl
#3139 8,338 births
Compare Darlene side by side: Darlene vs Darla Darlene vs Darcy Darlene vs Dara
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Darlene
Rilynn #1778
3,660 births · Peak 2017
Elanor #1780
1,930 births · Peak 2023
Sahana #1777
2,870 births · Peak 2011
Sarina #1781
9,624 births · Peak 1996
Leen #1776
1,765 births · Peak 2024
Gwyneth #1782
6,657 births · Peak 2013
Janiya #1775
11,103 births · Peak 2008
Shoshana #1783
5,682 births · Peak 2022
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, 1896–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Darlene: #1779 Girls' Name - 204,942 Births, Peak 1958." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/darlene. 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 Darlene 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.