Darius
How to say it: duh-RY-uss · /dəˈraɪəs/
Latinized form of Dārayavauš (Old Persian), meaning he who holds firm the good or kingly.
Darius was the 695th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 322 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1990s, its births are down about 47% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #886 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #695 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 322 |
| Share of births | 1 in 9,499 |
| Peak decade | 1990s |
| Change over 10 years | −47% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #886 |
| In France, 2025 | #497 among boys’ names, 80 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Popularity crested for Darius in the 1990s before fading. It now stands far below that peak with further slipping likely.
What goes with it
Strong to the ear with crisp and breathy sounds across three syllables and a royal biblical resonance. Leonidas makes a fitting counterpart.
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Darius is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, French, German, Greek.
In France: #497 for boys in 2025.
England and Wales: #478. Ireland: #337.
Famous people named Darius
- Darius III (379 BC–329 BC)Last king of the Achaemenid Empire (r. 336–330 BC)
- Darius II (474 BC–403 BC)The ninth Achaemenid emperor (423–404 BC)
- Darius Milhaud (1892–1974)French composer
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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