Darlin
The Story of Darlin
As a girl name
Darlin first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1950, with 7 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2007: 35 births, good for #4,299 nationwide. The 2000s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 30% of all recorded Darlins. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #5,922 among girl names with 20 births, holding steady (+0%). In total, more than 850 Darlins have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Darlin as a boy name dates back to 2005, when 9 babies received it. 2024 was its biggest year on record, with 10 newborns named Darlin — #7,725 in the national rankings. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 38% of all recorded Darlins. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2024 (10 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 82 Darlins have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Darlin
Phonetically similar names — useful when Darlin 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 Darlin
What does the name Darlin mean?
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In which U.S. states is Darlin most popular?
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About the name Darlin
Darlin is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1950 and has accumulated 850 births in the dataset. Darlin's peak popularity came in 2007 when it ranked #3,717. Use the chart and map above to compare Darlin's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2007 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "D" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.