Darius
Darius is an English-rendered masculine given name of Persian origin, derived from the original name Dariush.
- English
- Lithuanian
- Romanian
- Biblical
Meaning & Origin of Darius
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Darius is an English-rendered masculine given name of Persian origin, derived from the original name Dariush.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
- Lithuanian
- Romanian
- Biblical
- Biblical Latin
- Old Persian
Origin & history
The Story of Darius
American parents first put Darius on the record books as a baby boy name in 1880, with 10 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1994, when 2,184 Dariuss were born — ranking #155 that year. The 1990s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 36% of all recorded Dariuss. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #807 among baby boy names with 315 births, falling sharply (-31%). In total, more than 54K Dariuss have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Darius
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Darius. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Darayavauš
- Dareios
- Darijus
Names that sound like Darius
Phonetically similar names — useful when Darius is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Dryas
- Dermis
- Dyas
- Dryness
- Driest
- Dryest
- Dreyfus
- Dras
- Dyess
- Dress
- Dris
- Driss
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Darius
What does the name Darius mean?
What is the origin of the name Darius?
How popular is Darius in 2026?
When was Darius most popular?
In which U.S. states is Darius most popular?
Is Darius a unisex name?
What names go well with Darius?
What are nicknames or variants of Darius?
About the name Darius
Darius is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 54K births in the dataset. Darius's peak popularity came in 1994 when it ranked #152. Use the chart and map above to compare Darius's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1994 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "D" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.