Darren
Darren is a masculine given name of uncertain etymological origins. Some theories state that it originated from an Anglicisation of the Irish first name Darragh or Dáire, meaning "oak tree". According to other sources, it is thought to come from the Gaelic surname meaning "great", but is also linked to a Welsh mountain named Moel Darren.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Darren
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Darren is a masculine given name of uncertain etymological origins. Some theories state that it originated from an Anglicisation of the Irish first name Darragh or Dáire, meaning "oak tree". According to other sources, it is thought to come from the Gaelic surname meaning "great", but is also linked to a Welsh mountain named Moel Darren.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Darren
American parents first put Darren on the record books as a baby boy name in 1936, with 7 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1965, when 5,938 Darrens were born — ranking #52 that year. The 1960s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 34% of all recorded Darrens. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #1,077 among baby boy names with 202 births, falling sharply (-38%). In total, more than 104K Darrens have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1930s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Darren
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Darren. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Darren
Phonetically similar names — useful when Darren 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 Darren
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About the name Darren
Darren is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1936 and has accumulated 104K births in the dataset. Darren's peak popularity came in 1965 when it ranked #52. Use the chart and map above to compare Darren's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1965 →
- Names of the 1960s →
- 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.