Darnell
How to say it: dar-NEL · /dɑːrˈnɛl/
From an Old French or Old English place name meaning 'hidden nook'; used as a given name in African-American tradition.
Darnell was the 1,906th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 56 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1980s, its births are down about 61% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #2,808 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 | #1,906 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 56 |
| Share of births | 1 in 59,202 |
| Peak decade | 1980s |
| Change over 10 years | −61% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #2,808 |
| In France, 2025 | #2,436 among boys’ names, 5 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Darnell peaked in the 1980s and is less common today.
What goes with it
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Darnell is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, French.
In France: #2,436 for boys in 2025.
Famous people named Darnell
- Darnell Nurse (born 1995)Canadian ice hockey player
- Darnell Jackson (born 1985)American basketball player
- Darnell Hall (born 1971)American sprinter
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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