Darling
Every Darling since 1920 — 1,060 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Darling
Darling is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #3,301 in 2025 with 47 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1920, 1,060 American babies have been named Darling. Its peak came in 2024, when 52 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
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 Darling stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Darling 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 | 47 | #3,301 | — | — |
| 2024 | 47 | #3,350 | 5 | #12,738 |
| 2023 | 33 | #4,303 | — | — |
| 2022 | 22 | #5,681 | — | — |
| 2021 | 28 | #4,748 | — | — |
| 2020 | 35 | #4,030 | — | — |
| 2019 | 27 | #4,941 | 5 | #12,587 |
| 2018 | 20 | #6,079 | — | — |
| 2017 | 25 | #5,218 | — | — |
| 2016 | 25 | #5,325 | — | — |
| 2015 | 22 | #5,878 | — | — |
| 2014 | 29 | #4,803 | — | — |
| 2013 | 24 | #5,535 | — | — |
| 2012 | 18 | #6,940 | — | — |
| 2011 | 21 | #6,201 | — | — |
| 2010 | 17 | #7,293 | — | — |
| 2009 | 17 | #7,429 | — | — |
| 2008 | 16 | #7,840 | — | — |
| 2007 | 21 | #6,385 | — | — |
| 2006 | 19 | #6,652 | — | — |
| 2005 | 12 | #9,036 | — | — |
| 2004 | 15 | #7,489 | — | — |
| 2003 | 12 | #8,649 | — | — |
| 2002 | 16 | #6,787 | — | — |
| 2001 | 11 | #8,911 | — | — |
| 2000 | 13 | #7,687 | — | — |
| 1995 | 16 | #5,733 | — | — |
| 1990 | 13 | #6,553 | — | — |
| 1985 | 8 | #7,739 | — | — |
| 1980 | 7 | #8,356 | — | — |
| 1975 | 8 | #6,632 | — | — |
| 1970 | 6 | #7,257 | — | — |
| 1965 | 10 | #4,258 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | 6 | #5,335 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | 6 | #4,546 | — | — |
| 1920 | 7 | #4,055 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Darling in 2025?
Darling ranked #3,301 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 47 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Darling?
1,060 babies have been named Darling in the United States since 1920, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Darling most popular?
Darling peaked in 2024, when 52 newborns received the name.
Is Darling a boy or girl name?
Darling is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Darling rising or falling?
Darling is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.