Darren
How to say it: DARE-un · /ˈdærən/
Likely from the Irish 'O Dairín', possibly from 'doire' (oak grove). Emerged as a given name in the 20th century.
Darren was the 930th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 187 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1960s, its births are down about 63% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #1,199 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 | #930 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 187 |
| Share of births | 1 in 15,207 |
| Peak decade | 1960s |
| Change over 10 years | −63% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #1,199 |
| In France, 2025 | #889 among boys’ names, 30 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Climbing to a high in the 1960s, Darren has grown rarer in the decades since. Far below that peak at present, it is likely to keep slipping.
What goes with it
DARE un pairs soft flow with a crisp edge, giving it a sturdy casual feel. Brendan shares its style.
Nicknames
- Dare
- Daz
Other spellings
Honouring a Darren in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Darren is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, French, Irish.
In France: #889 for boys in 2025.
Famous people named Darren
- Darren Aronofsky (born 1969)American filmmaker
- Darren Fletcher (born 1984)Scottish association football player
- Darren Criss (born 1987)American actor and singer
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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