Darlene
A 20th-century coinage from darling and names like Charlene and Marlene.
Every Darlene since 1896 — 205,546 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Darlene
Darlene is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #1,847 in 2025 with 108 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1896, 205,546 American babies have been named Darlene. Its peak came in 1958, when 8,307 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Darlene stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Darlene year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 108 | #1,847 | — | — |
| 2024 | 113 | #1,780 | — | — |
| 2023 | 108 | #1,857 | — | — |
| 2022 | 108 | #1,873 | — | — |
| 2021 | 103 | #1,915 | — | — |
| 2020 | 110 | #1,796 | — | — |
| 2019 | 122 | #1,710 | — | — |
| 2018 | 134 | #1,598 | — | — |
| 2017 | 146 | #1,515 | — | — |
| 2016 | 144 | #1,552 | — | — |
| 2015 | 160 | #1,439 | — | — |
| 2014 | 171 | #1,364 | — | — |
| 2013 | 187 | #1,268 | — | — |
| 2012 | 217 | #1,132 | — | — |
| 2011 | 196 | #1,224 | — | — |
| 2010 | 208 | #1,168 | — | — |
| 2009 | 215 | #1,168 | — | — |
| 2008 | 236 | #1,102 | — | — |
| 2007 | 223 | #1,147 | — | — |
| 2006 | 244 | #1,050 | — | — |
| 2005 | 225 | #1,062 | — | — |
| 2004 | 236 | #999 | — | — |
| 2003 | 203 | #1,085 | — | — |
| 2002 | 251 | #894 | — | — |
| 2001 | 266 | #857 | — | — |
| 2000 | 273 | #826 | — | — |
| 1995 | 272 | #750 | — | — |
| 1990 | 506 | #483 | — | — |
| 1985 | 471 | #456 | — | — |
| 1980 | 653 | #362 | — | — |
| 1975 | 905 | #265 | 10 | #3,490 |
| 1970 | 2,175 | #155 | 11 | #2,930 |
| 1965 | 4,356 | #83 | 21 | #1,732 |
| 1960 | 6,093 | #75 | 17 | #1,985 |
| 1955 | 5,641 | #76 | 10 | #2,612 |
| 1950 | 4,830 | #79 | 11 | #2,343 |
| 1945 | 3,626 | #71 | 18 | #1,591 |
| 1940 | 3,120 | #79 | 15 | #1,819 |
| 1935 | 2,703 | #91 | 7 | #3,019 |
| 1930 | 1,543 | #141 | 9 | #2,822 |
| 1925 | 741 | #241 | — | — |
| 1920 | 275 | #398 | — | — |
| 1915 | 89 | #707 | — | — |
| 1910 | 19 | #1,006 | — | — |
| 1905 | 6 | #1,756 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Darlene
- Darlene Conley Actor · 1934–2007
- Darlene Cates Actor · 1947–2017
- Darlene Love Singer · b. 1941
- Darlene Hard Tennis player · b. 1936
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Darlene mean?
A 20th-century coinage from darling and names like Charlene and Marlene.
How popular is the name Darlene in 2025?
Darlene ranked #1,847 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 108 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Darlene?
205,546 babies have been named Darlene in the United States since 1896, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Darlene most popular?
Darlene peaked in 1958, when 8,307 newborns received the name.
Is Darlene a boy or girl name?
Darlene is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Darlene rising or falling?
Darlene is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Darlene?
Well-known people named Darlene include Darlene Conley (actor), Darlene Cates (actor), Darlene Love (singer).