Given name & surname
Daren
“one who is born at night”
Daren is used as a given name and a surname. One African interpretation is “one who is born at night.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One African interpretation is “one who is born at night.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is African.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1922. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Daren through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 11,049
- 10,855 boys · 194 girls
- Most popular year
- 1965
- 768 babies
- 2025
- 37
- #3,197 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +2%
- Steady
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 100% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 37 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 3,197 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 1.7% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 761 in 1965. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (5). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 9,451 as a first name in 2020; 104 as a surname in 2000.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Daren’s family of names
In English usage, Daren has a related form in Darren. Daren has a related form in Daryn.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Daren
- Daren KagasoffAmerican actorborn 1987
- Daren SammyWest Indian cricketerborn 1983
- Daren PuppaCanadian ice hockey playerborn 1965
- Liew DarenMalaysian badminton playerborn 1987
- Daren PowellJamaican cricketerborn 1978
- Daren QueenanAmerican basketball playerborn 1966
- Daren GangaWest Indian cricketerborn 1979
- Daren DykesEnglish footballer (born 1981)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Daren, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Daktari
“one who heals others”
>99% boys
Diallo
“one who is bold”
>99% boys
Damisi
“a cheerful daughter” · “a cheerful man”
>99% boys
Daudi
“one who is dearly loved”
>99% boys
Rance
“a type of marble” · “borrowed”
>99% boys
Jaja
“a gift from God”
>99% boys
Jomo
“one who works the earth; a farmer”
>99% boys
Olaniyan
“honored by all”
>99% boys