Given name & surname
Darrell
“one who is dearly loved”·“one who is greatly loved”
Darrell is a variant of Darrel. One English interpretation is “one who is dearly loved.” Darrell is a variant of Daryl. One English interpretation is “one who is greatly loved.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Darrell is a variant of Darrel. One English interpretation is “one who is dearly loved.” Darrell is a variant of Daryl. One English interpretation is “one who is greatly loved.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Darrell is a variant of Darrel. An origin associated with Darrel is English.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
It entered given-name use through an existing surname.
The story
Its naming history includes the use of a family name as a given name.
Darrell through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 160,952
- 159,766 boys · 1,186 girls
- Most popular year
- 1958
- 4,797 babies
- 2025
- 97
- #1,691 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −40%
- Cooling
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 97 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,691 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 40.1% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 4,771 in 1958. In 2025, Ohio and Texas shared the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (7 each). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 103,236 as a first name in 2020; 1,331 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Darrell’s family of names
In English usage, Darrell has a related form in Darryl. Darrell has a related form in Daryl. Darrell has a related form in Darrel.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 9
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Darielvariant · English
- Darylvariant · English
- Darellvariant
- Darrylvariant · English
- Darrelvariant
- Durellvariant · English
- Darrrelllikely variant
- Darrellllikely variant
Show 1 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Darrell
- Dimebag DarrellAmerican guitarist (1966–2004)
- Darrell IssaAmerican politician, inventor and entrepreneurborn 1953
- Darrell PaceAmerican archerborn 1956
- Darrell HammondAmerican actor and comedianborn 1955
- Darrell ArmstrongAmerican basketball player (born 1968)
- Darrell ArthurAmerican basketball player (born 1988)
- Darrell WalkerAmerican basketball player and coachborn 1961
- Darrell GriffithAmerican basketball player (born 1958)
- Darrell Britt-GibsonAmerican actorborn 1985
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Darrell, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Dale
“from the small valley” · “from the valley”
97% boys · 3% girls
Donell
“ruler of the world; a brown-haired warrior”
>99% boys
Darwin
“a beloved friend”
99% boys · 1% girls
Dan
“he judged”
97% boys · 3% girls
Dave
“Beloved” · “darling”
>99% boys
Darren
“a great man” · “a gift from God”
>99% boys
Daren
“one who is born at night”
>99% boys
Duane
“a dark or swarthy man”
>99% boys