Total births
731
Girls' name · since 1920
Darnella
Darnella has 731 recorded births since 1920 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1961 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 731
- total births
- 1920–1996
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 25%
- born in that decade
731 girls have been named Darnella since 1920, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Darnella has 731 recorded births among girls since 1920, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used girls names, 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 1920 to 1996.
- 731 total births
- 1920–1996 years on record
- 1960s peak decade
- 25% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
731 girls have been named Darnella since 1920, peaking in the 1960s, last recorded in 1996.
- 731
- total births
- 1920–1996
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 25%
- born in that decade
1960s
Peak decade
25% of everyone ever named Darnella was born in this single decade.
1961
Single peak year
26 babies were named Darnella in 1961 - its busiest year on record.
Darnella's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Darnella's full recorded timeline at 1963, 50% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 50% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1923, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1961 peak of 26 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Darnella at a glance
Last recorded 1996Peak year
1961
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1920
Darnella popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1920–1996
- Peak year (1961)
- 26
- Annual births at peak, across 77 years of records
Darnella by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Darnella's strongest decade.
185 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 25% of all-time use.
Darnella births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1920s 51
1920s
51 births
- 1930s 17
1930s
17 births
- 1940s
1940s
79 births
- 1950s
1950s
157 births
- 1960s
1960s
185 births
- 1970s
1970s
111 births
- 1980s
1980s
86 births
- 1990s 45
1990s
45 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 185 births (25% of all-time use).
How Darnella 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 Darnella's total volume
Darnella vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Darnella by state
Where Darnella concentrates geographically, total births since 1920
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Illinois | | 20 | 2.7% |
| #2 | Oklahoma | | 6 | 0.8% |
| #3 | Pennsylvania | | 5 | 0.7% |
Illinois share of Darnella's total US births 2.7%
Even split
20 of 731 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Darnella? ▼
731 babies have been named Darnella since 1920. It was last recorded in 1996. The peak year was 1961 with 26 births.
When was Darnella most popular? ▼
Darnella was most popular in the 1960s decade with 185 total births. The single peak year was 1961.
Where is Darnella most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Darnella are Illinois (20 births), Oklahoma (6 births), Pennsylvania (5 births).
How long has the name Darnella been used? ▼
Darnella has been recorded in Social Security data since 1920, spanning 77 years of data through 1996.
What names are similar to Darnella? ▼
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 Darnella's data
- Darnella's decade-level peak was the 1960s (185 total births); usage has since declined to 45 in the 1990s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Illinois records the most Darnellas (20 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 Darnella
Nearby Names Like Darnella
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Darnella
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 Darnella side by side: Darnella vs Darlene Darnella vs Darla Darnella vs Darcy
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
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, 1920–1996 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Darnella: Baby Name Since 1920 - 731 Births, Peak 1961." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/darnella. 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 Darnella 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.