Darah
An Arabic feminine name meaning "blood" or "precious thing".
Name Census estimates that about 1,005 living Americans carry the first name Darah. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Darah today is around 30 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Darah births was 1988 (35 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Darah. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
1.0K
~ 1 in 341,049 Americans
Peak year
1988
35 babies that year
Average age
30
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,907
Tracked since 1951
Popularity
Darah: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Darah from the 1950s through to the 2020s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 248 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1980s peak, Darah remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Darah by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Darah during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Darahs live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. Florida, New York, Texas recorded the most babies named Darah, while Illinois, California, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 12 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Darah
The name Darah originates from Arabic and Persian origins, with roots dating back to the 7th century AD. In Arabic, the word "darah" means "brilliant" or "splendid," while in Persian, it can also signify "possessing wealth or prosperity." This name gained widespread usage across the Middle East and Central Asia during the Islamic Golden Age.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Darah can be found in the ancient Persian epic poem, the Shahnameh, written by the renowned poet Ferdowsi in the late 10th century AD. The poem tells the story of a brave warrior named Darah, who fought valiantly against invaders.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Darah. One such individual was Darah Khan, a powerful military general who served under the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in the 17th century (1658-1707). He is renowned for his strategic brilliance and unwavering loyalty to the empire.
Another prominent figure was Darah Shikoh (1615-1659), the eldest son of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. A skilled scholar and patron of the arts, Darah Shikoh is remembered for his efforts to promote religious tolerance and bridge the gap between Islamic and Hindu philosophies.
In the realm of literature, Darah Gai stands out as a celebrated 19th century Afghan poet (1785-1865). Her poetic works, often exploring themes of love and spirituality, have been widely acclaimed and continue to be studied by scholars today.
Darah Singh Grewal (1913-1964) was a revered military officer in the Indian Army who earned the prestigious Maha Vir Chakra, India's second-highest military decoration, for his exceptional bravery and leadership during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947.
These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals throughout history who have carried the name Darah, a name that has continued to endure and transcend cultural boundaries, symbolizing brilliance, prosperity, and valor.
People
Darah + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Darah as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with D
Other first names starting with D with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Darah: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Darah?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,005 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Darah going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 341,049 US residents.
Is Darah a common name?
We classify Darah as "Rare". It ranks above 90.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,053 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Darah most popular?
The single biggest year for Darah was 1988, when 35 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Darah is about 30 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Darah a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Darah in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.