Total births
28,631
Unisex name · since 1912
Darnell
Darnell has 28,631 recorded births since 1912 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1984 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #2265
- among boys today
- 28,631
- born since 1912
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 84%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Darnell is the #2265 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 28,631 recorded since 1912.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Darnell has been recorded 28,631 times among boys since 1912, currently ranked #2265 nationally and more common than 84% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1980s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1912 to 2025.
- #2265 among boys today
- 28,631 born since 1912
- 1980s peak decade
- 84% more common than other boys
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Darnell is currently the #2265 unisex name in America, more common than 84% of boys - 28,631 born since 1912, peaking in the 1980s.
- #2265
- among boys today
- 28,631
- born since 1912
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 84%
- more common than other boys
Darnell vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#2265
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 84% of names given to boys today.
1980s
Peak decade
22% of everyone ever named Darnell was born in this single decade.
1984
Single peak year
741 babies were named Darnell in 1984 - its busiest year on record.
How Darnell compares
28,631 Top 5% higher than 95% 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
Darnell's all-time total is 78x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Darnell | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 28,631 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 741 | 23 | 22,252 |
Darnell's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Darnell's full recorded timeline at 1969, 74% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 26% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1913, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1984 peak of 741 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Darnell at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1984
Current rank
#2,265
Active since
1912
Darnell popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1912–2025
- Peak year (1984)
- 741
- Annual births at peak, across 114 years of records
Darnell popularity over time - girls
2,387 total births recorded since 1917 (Darnell as girls' name)
Darnell by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Darnell's strongest decade.
6,294 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 22% of all-time use.
Darnell births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 63
1910s
63 births
- 1920s 197
1920s
197 births
- 1930s 294
1930s
294 births
- 1940s 633
1940s
633 births
- 1950s
1950s
2,969 births
- 1960s
1960s
3,689 births
- 1970s
1970s
4,828 births
- 1980s
1980s
6,294 births
- 1990s
1990s
4,514 births
- 2000s
2000s
2,878 births
- 2010s 1,772
2010s
1,772 births
- 2020s 500
2020s
500 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 6,294 births (22% of all-time use).
How Darnell 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 Darnell's total volume
Darnell vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Darnell by state
Where Darnell concentrates geographically, total births since 1912
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Illinois | | 2,940 | 10.3% |
| #2 | New York | | 2,684 | 9.4% |
| #3 | California | | 2,128 | 7.4% |
| #4 | Michigan | | 1,985 | 6.9% |
| #5 | Pennsylvania | | 1,848 | 6.5% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 1,768 | 6.2% |
| #7 | New Jersey | | 1,323 | 4.6% |
| #8 | Maryland | | 1,090 | 3.8% |
Illinois share of Darnell's total US births 10.3%
Even split
2,940 of 28,631 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 39 reporting states.
Darnell appears in 39 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Darnell? ▼
Since 1912, Social Security records show 28,631 babies named Darnell. Today it holds rank #2265 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1984, with 741 births.
When was Darnell most popular? ▼
Darnell was most popular in the 1980s decade with 6,294 total births. The single peak year was 1984.
Where is Darnell most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Darnell are Illinois (2,940 births), New York (2,684 births), California (2,128 births).
Is Darnell a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Darnell is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 28,631 births, and as a girl's name it has 2,387 births.
How long has the name Darnell been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Darnell since 1912 -- 114 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Darnell? ▼
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 Darnell's data
- Darnell's decade-level peak was the 1980s (6,294 total births); usage has since declined to 500 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Illinois records the most Darnells (2,940 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Illinois 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 Darnell
Nearby Names Like Darnell
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Darnell
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 Darnell side by side: Darnell vs Darrell Darnell vs Darren Darnell vs Darryl
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Darnell
Josef #2264
9,158 births · Peak 1999
Raymundo #2266
9,493 births · Peak 1994
June #2263
3,627 births · Peak 1922
Usher #2267
1,306 births · Peak 2025
Raleigh #2262
9,279 births · Peak 1921
Ragnar #2268
787 births · Peak 2023
Edmond #2261
24,893 births · Peak 1920
Nahum #2269
2,197 births · Peak 2007
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, 1912–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Darnell: #2265 Unisex Name - 28,631 Births, Peak 1984." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/darnell. 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 Darnell 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.