Boys' name · since 1975

Darrnell

Since 1975, U.S. Social Security records show 78 babies named Darrnell, peaking in 1986. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.

#19,063 of 45,481
all-time among boys
78
born since 1975
1980s
peak decade

Darrnell is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 78 have been recorded since 1975.

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Darrnell has been recorded 78 times among boys since 1975, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, 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 1975 to 1991.

  • #19,063 of 45,481 all-time among boys
  • 78 born since 1975
  • 1980s peak decade

Data updated Aug 2026

The verdict

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Darrnell ranks #19,063 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 78 born since 1975, peaking in the 1980s.

#19,063 of 45,481
all-time among boys
78
born since 1975
1980s
peak decade
Below the archive median
All-time archive position

Darrnell's 78 recorded births place it above 57.94% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.

National only
State-record footprint

No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.

Darrnell's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Splitting Darrnell's full recorded timeline at 1983, 56% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 44% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1975, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1986 peak of 8 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.

Darrnell popularity over time

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1975–1991

Last recorded 1991
Peak year (1986)
8
Annual births at peak, across 17 years of records
456789 1975197819801983198519871991 5

Darrnell by decade

1980s is the heaviest window (52 births, 67% of the file).

1980s was Darrnell's strongest decade.

52 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 67% of all-time use.

Darrnell births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1980s at 52 births (67% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of August 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Darrnell? ▼
78 babies have been named Darrnell since 1975. All-time, it sits at #19,063 of 45,481 boys' names by recorded births. It was last recorded in 1991. The peak year was 1986 with 8 births.
Where does Darrnell sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Darrnell ranks #19,063 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). All-time ordinal matches browse popularity (total births DESC); the current ordinal uses the null SSA file. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
When was Darrnell most popular? ▼
Darrnell was most popular in the 1980s decade with 52 total births. The single peak year was 1986.
How long has the name Darrnell been used? ▼
Darrnell has been recorded in Social Security data since 1975, spanning 17 years of data through 1991.
What names are similar to Darrnell? ▼
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 Darrnell's data

  • Darrnell's decade-level peak was the 1980s (52 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 1990s -- 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 Darrnell

Nearby Names Like Darrnell

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Darrnell

Darrell Boy
#1690 159,766 births
Darren Boy
#1133 103,937 births
Darryl Boy
#2110 92,285 births
Daryl Boy
#1532 63,058 births
Darius Boy
#789 54,006 births

Compare Darrnell side by side: Darrnell vs Darrell Darrnell vs Darren Darrnell vs Darryl

Or pick any two names to compare →

Related Names

Names with a similar number of total births

Finas
78 births · Peak 1916
Arling
78 births · Peak 1921
Fremon
78 births · Peak 1938
Hancel
78 births · Peak 1922
Vence
78 births · Peak 1955
Neils
78 births · Peak 1918
Hommer
78 births · Peak 1942
Kazuto
78 births · Peak 1919

Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span

Two nationwide peer axes for Darrnell: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.

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, 1975–1991 (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 Darrnell 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.