NameRealm
Darnell

Darnell: name meaning, origin & popularity

Meaning
“hidden nook”
Origin
English
Say it
dar-NEL · 2 syllables
Used for
Boys (92% of all uses)

Transferred from an English surname, likely from a place-name element meaning a hidden or secret nook. As a given name, it is modern in use.

English namesAmerican namesSurname-style namesModern names

How popular is Darnell?

202418.3 per million US babies
1880192019602000
Drag the line or the slider to read any year. Values are per million US births recorded by Social Security. Records before about 1937 undercount births, so early peaks can look taller than they were.

Babies named Darnell in 202461

2024 rank#2,309 boys

Peak year1984

Total US babies since 188030,961

Darnell is fading: recent use is about 46% of its level ten years before.

Names like Darnell

Variants, related forms and names with the same roots.

  • JackGod is gracious · English
  • Hudsonson of Hudd · English
  • Jacksonson of Jack · English
  • Cartercart driver · English
  • Wyattbrave in war · English
  • Maverickindependent person · English
  • Masonstoneworker · English
  • Graysonson of the steward · English

Darnell questions

What does the name Darnell mean?

Darnell means "hidden nook". It comes from English. Transferred from an English surname, likely from a place-name element meaning a hidden or secret nook. As a given name, it is modern in use.

Is Darnell a boy or girl name?

Darnell is mainly a boy's name in US records (92% of uses since 1880).

How popular is Darnell?

61 US babies were named Darnell in 2024. Its peak year was 1984.

How do you pronounce Darnell?

Darnell is usually pronounced dar-NEL.

Birth counts: US Social Security Administration national data, 1880–2024 (names given to 5+ babies of a sex in a year). How we write meanings.