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Name Lineage

    The first name Darnell

    A boy’s name meaning “type of ryegrass”.

    2 syllables Male Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Darnell means “type of ryegrass”.

    English surname, from the noun darnel (“type of ryegrass”). Also a variant of Darnall. The given name is likely derived from the surname.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    Darnell last appeared in the official list in 2023, given to 3 boys. It peaked in 1997, with 76 births (#318).

    04080 1996200020052010201520202025
    666
    babies named Darnell, 1996–2025
    #4,991
    rank in 2023
    1997
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Darnell with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Darnell at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 56 boys born in the United States were named Darnell, the 2,423rd most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1984, when 741 were.

    0400800 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    GirlsBoys
    31,018
    babies named Darnell since 1880
    #2,423
    rank in 2025
    1984
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Famous people named Darnell

    17 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Darnell Jackson
      American basketball player (born 1985)
    • Darnell Hall
      American sprinter, born 1971
    • Darnell Nurse
      Canadian ice hockey player, born 1995
    • Darnell Furlong
      English association football player, born 1995
    • Darnell Martin
      American film director and screenwriter (born 1964)
    • Darnell Hillman
      American basketball player, born 1949
    • Darnell Robinson
      American basketball player (born 1974)
    • Darnell Mee
      Australian basketball player (born 1971)
    • Darnell Johnson
      English association football player (born 1998)
    • Kevin Hart
      American comedian and actor (born 1979)
    • Young Buck
      American rapper, born 1981
    • Marvin Harrison
      American football wide receiver (born 1972)

    Questions

    What does the name Darnell mean?
    Darnell means “type of ryegrass”.
    How popular is the name Darnell?
    In 2023, 3 boys born in England and Wales were named Darnell, ranking 4,991st. Its peak was 1997, with 76 births.
    Is Darnell a boy's or a girl's name?
    Both. Of the 31,018 US babies named Darnell since 1880, 8% were girls and 92% boys.
    When was Darnell most popular?
    1984 in the United States, when 741 babies were named Darnell, its highest rank at 281st.
    Is Darnell also a surname?
    Yes. Darnell is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.