Fun Facts About the Name Darlene
- An established favorite: Darlene held a place in the U.S. top 100 for 34 consecutive years, from 1933 through 1966.
- More than 205 thousand babies named Darlene: U.S. records list 205,544 babies given the name Darlene from 1880 through 2025. Even 604 boys received the name Darlene - about 1 boy for every 339 girls.
What Does the Name Darlene Mean?
Darlene is an English feminine given name meaning "darling" or "beloved." It comes from the English word darling, which descends from Old English dēorling. That word was formed from dēore ("dear") plus the diminutive suffix -ling, so its literal sense was "little dear one" or "favorite." The name Darlene uses the root darl- from darling with the feminine ending -ene, as in Charlene and Marlene. The spelling Darleen is a common variant. Related names such as Darla share the same root from darling.
Darlene Name History & Origins
The name Darlene is a modern English formation. Its root is the word darling, which appears in Middle English as derling and in Old English as dēorling. The name uses the root darl- with the feminine suffix -ene, a pattern also seen in Charlene and Marlene. The spelling Darleen is also found. Darlene is used in the United States, Canada, and other English-speaking countries. It has been borne by notable singers and actresses, including Darlene Love and Darlene Conley. The name also appears in fiction, such as the character Darlene Conner on the television series Roseanne.
How Popular is the Name Darlene?
Darlene remained among the top 100 girl names in the U.S. from 1933 to 1966. Its highest annual birth count was in 1958, and people born that year turn 68 in 2026.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,847 | 108 | 0.0067% |
| 2024 | #1,802 | 111 | 0.0069% |
| 2023 | #1,857 | 108 | 0.0067% |
| 2022 | #1,872 | 108 | 0.0066% |
| 2021 | #1,914 | 103 | 0.0063% |
| 2020 | #1,796 | 110 | 0.0068% |
| 2019 | #1,710 | 122 | 0.0073% |
| 2018 | #1,598 | 134 | 0.0079% |
| 2017 | #1,515 | 146 | 0.0085% |
| 2016 | #1,552 | 144 | 0.0081% |
| 2015 | #1,439 | 160 | 0.0090% |
| 2014 | #1,364 | 171 | 0.0096% |
| 2013 | #1,268 | 187 | 0.0107% |
| 2012 | #1,132 | 217 | 0.0123% |
| 2011 | #1,224 | 196 | 0.0111% |
| 2010 | #1,168 | 208 | 0.0117% |
| 2009 | #1,175 | 214 | 0.0117% |
| 2008 | #1,102 | 236 | 0.0125% |
| 2007 | #1,147 | 223 | 0.0116% |
| 2006 | #1,050 | 244 | 0.0128% |
| 2005 | #1,062 | 225 | 0.0122% |
| 2004 | #999 | 236 | 0.0129% |
| 2003 | #1,085 | 203 | 0.0111% |
| 2002 | #894 | 251 | 0.0140% |
| 2001 | #857 | 266 | 0.0148% |
| 2000 | #826 | 273 | 0.0150% |
| 1999 | #937 | 224 | 0.0126% |
| 1998 | #832 | 256 | 0.0145% |
| 1997 | #831 | 249 | 0.0143% |
| 1996 | #746 | 283 | 0.0161% |
| 1995 | #750 | 272 | 0.0155% |
| 1994 | #636 | 344 | 0.0193% |
| 1993 | #617 | 370 | 0.0205% |
| 1992 | #602 | 378 | 0.0205% |
| 1991 | #506 | 466 | 0.0249% |
| 1990 | #483 | 506 | 0.0267% |
| 1989 | #493 | 477 | 0.0259% |
| 1988 | #468 | 482 | 0.0271% |
| 1987 | #491 | 441 | 0.0254% |
| 1986 | #477 | 451 | 0.0263% |
| 1985 | #456 | 471 | 0.0274% |
| 1984 | #452 | 459 | 0.0273% |
| 1983 | #408 | 527 | 0.0315% |
| 1982 | #397 | 583 | 0.0344% |
| 1981 | #367 | 640 | 0.0384% |
| 1980 | #362 | 653 | 0.0393% |
| 1979 | #348 | 667 | 0.0415% |
| 1978 | #319 | 718 | 0.0469% |
| 1977 | #308 | 772 | 0.0504% |
| 1976 | #279 | 827 | 0.0564% |
| 1975 | #265 | 905 | 0.0621% |
| 1974 | #251 | 1,019 | 0.0694% |
| 1973 | #216 | 1,162 | 0.0797% |
| 1972 | #199 | 1,416 | 0.0931% |
| 1971 | #170 | 1,824 | 0.1096% |
| 1970 | #155 | 2,175 | 0.1244% |
| 1969 | #137 | 2,460 | 0.1458% |
| 1968 | #121 | 2,658 | 0.1620% |
| 1967 | #111 | 3,068 | 0.1858% |
| 1966 | #94 | 3,728 | 0.2203% |
| 1965 | #83 | 4,358 | 0.2469% |
| 1964 | #80 | 5,173 | 0.2730% |
| 1963 | #85 | 5,154 | 0.2674% |
| 1962 | #88 | 5,107 | 0.2597% |
| 1961 | #80 | 5,729 | 0.2838% |
| 1960 | #75 | 6,092 | 0.3013% |
| 1959 | #66 | 6,875 | 0.3398% |
| 1958 | #49 | 8,279 | 0.4116% |
| 1957 | #57 | 7,784 | 0.3807% |
| 1956 | #71 | 6,919 | 0.3446% |
| 1955 | #76 | 5,641 | 0.2885% |
| 1954 | #76 | 5,510 | 0.2837% |
| 1953 | #75 | 5,591 | 0.2972% |
| 1952 | #77 | 5,427 | 0.2927% |
| 1951 | #79 | 5,030 | 0.2793% |
| 1950 | #79 | 4,830 | 0.2820% |
| 1949 | #75 | 4,799 | 0.2805% |
| 1948 | #77 | 4,692 | 0.2763% |
| 1947 | #71 | 5,255 | 0.2964% |
| 1946 | #71 | 4,662 | 0.2967% |
| 1945 | #71 | 3,626 | 0.2774% |
| 1944 | #76 | 3,532 | 0.2661% |
| 1943 | #73 | 3,774 | 0.2705% |
| 1942 | #78 | 3,517 | 0.2604% |
| 1941 | #76 | 3,344 | 0.2768% |
| 1940 | #79 | 3,120 | 0.2728% |
| 1939 | #75 | 3,287 | 0.2997% |
| 1938 | #76 | 3,321 | 0.3010% |
| 1937 | #72 | 3,285 | 0.3087% |
| 1936 | #83 | 2,962 | 0.2847% |
| 1935 | #91 | 2,703 | 0.2578% |
| 1934 | #90 | 2,605 | 0.2495% |
| 1933 | #96 | 2,408 | 0.2389% |
| 1932 | #122 | 2,020 | 0.1893% |
| 1931 | #128 | 1,822 | 0.1711% |
| 1930 | #141 | 1,543 | 0.1370% |
| 1929 | #160 | 1,302 | 0.1166% |
| 1928 | #176 | 1,186 | 0.1028% |
| 1927 | #185 | 1,109 | 0.0930% |
| 1926 | #212 | 875 | 0.0738% |
| 1925 | #241 | 741 | 0.0609% |
| 1924 | #260 | 638 | 0.0511% |
| 1923 | #291 | 493 | 0.0409% |
| 1922 | #315 | 423 | 0.0352% |
| 1921 | #336 | 384 | 0.0311% |
| 1920 | #398 | 275 | 0.0229% |
| 1919 | #435 | 229 | 0.0203% |
| 1918 | #507 | 181 | 0.0156% |
| 1917 | #507 | 170 | 0.0157% |
| 1916 | #587 | 131 | 0.0125% |
| 1915 | #707 | 89 | 0.0090% |
| 1914 | #643 | 81 | 0.0106% |
| 1913 | #743 | 50 | 0.0080% |
| 1912 | #927 | 30 | 0.0054% |
| 1911 | #988 | 20 | 0.0048% |
| 1910 | #1,006 | 19 | 0.0048% |
| 1909 | #970 | 18 | 0.0052% |
| 1908 | #1,100 | 14 | 0.0042% |
| 1907 | #1,155 | 12 | 0.0038% |
| 1906 | #1,783 | 6 | 0.0020% |
| 1905 | #1,756 | 6 | 0.0021% |
| 1904 | #1,110 | 11 | 0.0040% |
| 1903 | #1,348 | 8 | 0.0031% |
| 1902 | #1,346 | 8 | 0.0030% |
| 1901 | #1,156 | 9 | 0.0038% |
| 1899 | #1,446 | 6 | 0.0026% |
| 1896 | #1,637 | 5 | 0.0021% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | #6,363 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1976 | #5,788 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1975 | #3,490 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1973 | #4,621 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1972 | #3,407 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1971 | #4,060 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1970 | #2,929 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1969 | #4,044 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1968 | #2,349 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1967 | #2,049 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1966 | #2,155 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1965 | #1,731 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 1964 | #1,802 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 1963 | #2,445 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1962 | #2,133 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1961 | #2,014 | 17 | 0.0008% |
| 1960 | #1,983 | 17 | 0.0008% |
| 1959 | #1,766 | 21 | 0.0010% |
| 1958 | #1,452 | 29 | 0.0014% |
| 1957 | #2,209 | 14 | 0.0006% |
| 1956 | #1,844 | 19 | 0.0009% |
| 1955 | #2,613 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1954 | #2,625 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1953 | #2,573 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1952 | #2,922 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1951 | #3,422 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1950 | #2,342 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1949 | #2,656 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1948 | #2,830 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1947 | #2,096 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1946 | #1,970 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 1945 | #1,591 | 18 | 0.0013% |
| 1944 | #2,012 | 13 | 0.0010% |
| 1943 | #2,200 | 12 | 0.0008% |
| 1942 | #1,691 | 18 | 0.0013% |
| 1941 | #1,597 | 19 | 0.0015% |
| 1940 | #1,820 | 15 | 0.0013% |
| 1939 | #2,086 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1938 | #1,917 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1937 | #1,773 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1936 | #3,231 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1935 | #3,019 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1934 | #1,736 | 17 | 0.0016% |
| 1933 | #2,406 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1932 | #3,146 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1931 | #2,354 | 11 | 0.0011% |
| 1930 | #2,822 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1928 | #3,432 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1927 | #4,332 | 5 | 0.0004% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Darlene
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
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How the Name Darlene Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are strong in material matters, determined and stubborn. You have good business ability. You are a good worker, steady and practical, a builder who takes responsibility well. These qualities may bring you a position of authority and power. You are a doer, down-to-earth, serious-minded, reliable, and self-disciplined; have good power of concentration. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You are seeking freedom, opportunities to enjoy life: to make love, to go places and to do things. You are very adventurous and willing to take risk to achieve your objectives. New ways and new experiences can't satisfy your restless nature. One adventure leads you to another. You are honest and fair, because you know that this is the only way to receive justice and honesty from other people. But your personal growth is vital for you, and it is difficult to be tied down by rules and obligations. Your restless spirit might best controlled by choosing the field of work that meet your demand for action and adventure.
✦ Darlene's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Darlene's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.