Find out how popular the first name Darl has been for the last 26 years (from 1974 to 1999) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Darl by gender

Based on the last 26 years of data, Darl is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 1999, there were 5 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Darl.

The history of the first name Darl

The name Darl is an English given name that emerged in the late 19th century as a shortened form of the name Darrell. The name Darrell is derived from the Old French surname "D'Aureal" or "D'Airelle," which originated from the town of Airelle in Normandy, France.

Darl first appeared in written records in the United States during the late 1800s. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is Darl McBath, born in 1885 in Alabama. Another early example is Darl Hales, born in 1892 in Illinois.

The name gained some popularity in the early 20th century, particularly in the Southern United States. One notable bearer of the name was Darl Bundren, a character in the 1930 novel "As I Lay Dying" by American author William Faulkner.

In terms of historical figures with the first name Darl, there are a few notable individuals. Darl Elden Pearson (1908-1989) was an American politician who served as a United States Senator from Kansas from 1962 to 1978. Darl Kolb (1914-2000) was an American basketball player and coach who played in the National Basketball League and coached in the NBA.

Another notable Darl was Darl Cagle (1918-1997), an American baseball player who played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies in the 1940s. Darl Keller (1924-2005) was an American basketball player and coach who played in the Basketball Association of America (BAA) and coached in the NBA.

One of the more recent historical figures with the name Darl was Darl Hendrix (1935-2017), an American football player who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Los Angeles Rams and the Green Bay Packers in the 1960s.

While the name Darl has never been exceptionally common, it has maintained a presence throughout the 20th century, particularly in the Southern United States, as a shortened form of the more popular name Darrell.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Darl was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Darl, please contact us.

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