Darren
Unknown. A twentieth-century invention, possibly from a rare Irish surname of obscure meaning, possibly from Dara or Daragh, meaning "oak".
Every Darren since 1936 — 104,506 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Darren
Darren is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #1,135 in 2025 with 187 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1936, 104,506 American babies have been named Darren. Its peak came in 1965, when 5,963 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
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 Darren stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Darren 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 | — | — | 187 | #1,135 |
| 2024 | — | — | 240 | #954 |
| 2023 | — | — | 224 | #978 |
| 2022 | — | — | 284 | #853 |
| 2021 | — | — | 305 | #803 |
| 2020 | — | — | 345 | #718 |
| 2019 | — | — | 374 | #684 |
| 2018 | — | — | 393 | #653 |
| 2017 | 7 | #13,042 | 463 | #586 |
| 2016 | — | — | 528 | #548 |
| 2015 | — | — | 527 | #543 |
| 2014 | — | — | 569 | #494 |
| 2013 | — | — | 593 | #468 |
| 2012 | — | — | 667 | #423 |
| 2011 | — | — | 681 | #415 |
| 2010 | — | — | 695 | #407 |
| 2009 | — | — | 765 | #393 |
| 2008 | — | — | 799 | #384 |
| 2007 | — | — | 876 | #361 |
| 2006 | — | — | 824 | #361 |
| 2005 | — | — | 864 | #343 |
| 2004 | — | — | 891 | #337 |
| 2003 | — | — | 977 | #306 |
| 2002 | — | — | 969 | #302 |
| 2001 | — | — | 948 | #304 |
| 2000 | — | — | 1,007 | #298 |
| 1995 | — | — | 1,290 | #230 |
| 1990 | 7 | #10,481 | 1,507 | #199 |
| 1985 | 19 | #4,165 | 1,701 | #161 |
| 1980 | 11 | #6,002 | 1,533 | #163 |
| 1975 | 16 | #3,985 | 2,032 | #126 |
| 1970 | 33 | #2,318 | 4,197 | #75 |
| 1965 | 25 | #2,419 | 5,938 | #52 |
| 1960 | 15 | #3,241 | 2,209 | #156 |
| 1955 | — | — | 34 | #1,296 |
| 1950 | — | — | 11 | #2,345 |
| 1945 | — | — | 9 | #2,433 |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Darren
- Darren Aronofsky Film director · b. 1969
- Darren Young Wrestler · b. 11
- Darren McGavin Actor · 1922–2006
- Darren Criss Actor · b. 1987
- Darren Shan Writer · b. 1972
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Darren mean?
Unknown. A twentieth-century invention, possibly from a rare Irish surname of obscure meaning, possibly from Dara or Daragh, meaning "oak".
How popular is the name Darren in 2025?
Darren ranked #1,135 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 187 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Darren?
104,506 babies have been named Darren in the United States since 1936, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Darren most popular?
Darren peaked in 1965, when 5,963 newborns received the name.
Is Darren a boy or girl name?
Darren is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Darren rising or falling?
Darren is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Darren?
Well-known people named Darren include Darren Aronofsky (film director), Darren Young (wrestler), Darren McGavin (actor).