Darlene
Darlene, also spelled Darleen or Darline, is an English feminine given name coined in the late 19th century. It is based on the term of endearment darling in combination with the diminutive suffix -een, -ene, or -ine in use in other names popular during that period such as Arleen, Charlene, Claudine, Irene, Jolene, Josephine, Marlene, Maxine, and Pauline.
Meaning & Origin of Darlene
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Darlene, also spelled Darleen or Darline, is an English feminine given name coined in the late 19th century. It is based on the term of endearment darling in combination with the diminutive suffix -een, -ene, or -ine in use in other names popular during that period such as Arleen, Charlene, Claudine, Irene, Jolene, Josephine, Marlene, Maxine, and Pauline.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Darlene
Darlene first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1896, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1958, when 8,279 Darlenes were born — ranking #49 that year. As of 2026, Darlene ranks #1,830 for baby girls with 110 births, gradually falling (-11%). In total, more than 205K Darlenes have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1890s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Darlene
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Darlene (formerly known as Darlene Pekul) (born 1954), American artist and calligrapher
- Darlene Ferrin , American murder victim of the Zodiac Killer
- Darlene Berberabe (born 1967), Filipino lawyer, academic, and corporate executive
- Darlene Caamaño (born 1970), American film producer
- Darlene Cates (1947–2017), American actress
- Darlene Conley (1934–2007), American actress
- Darlene de Souza (born 1990), Brazilian footballer
- Darlene Fairley (born 1943), American politician
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Darlene
Phonetically similar names — useful when Darlene is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Darlene
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About the name Darlene
Darlene is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1896 and has accumulated 205K births in the dataset. Darlene's peak popularity came in 1958 when it ranked #49. Use the chart and map above to compare Darlene's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1958 →
- Names of the 1950s →
- Names starting with "D" →
- Browse all girl 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.