Darlow
Derived from an Old English place name meaning "gated meadow or pasture".
Name Census estimates that about 2 living Americans carry the first name Darlow. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Darlow today is around 96 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Darlow births was 1942 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Darlow. 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.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Darlow is about 96 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Darlows were born before 1940.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Darlow. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
2
~ 1 in 171,377,169 Americans
Peak year
1942
5 babies that year
Average age
96
years old
1942 SSA rank
#3,673
Tracked since 1942
Popularity
Darlow: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Darlow 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 Darlow during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Darlow
The name Darlow is an English given name with origins dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "deor" meaning "deer" and "hlaw" meaning "hill" or "mound." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a hill or mound frequented by deer.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Darlow can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named Darlow holding estates in Derbyshire, England.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Darlow appeared occasionally in various historical records, such as parish registers and court documents. It was particularly prevalent in the northern counties of England, including Yorkshire and Lancashire.
In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the name Darlow was Sir Thomas Darlow (1505-1572), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Derbyshire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
Another significant historical figure with the name Darlow was Reverend Darlow Bradney (1650-1718), an English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Derby and wrote several theological works.
In the 19th century, a prominent individual named Darlow was Thomas Uphill Darlow (1822-1903), an English clergyman and author who served as the Vicar of St. Michael's Church in Wolverhampton and published numerous books on church history and theology.
Towards the late 19th and early 20th centuries, another notable Darlow was Cyril Darlow (1880-1946), an English artist and illustrator best known for his work on children's books and magazine illustrations. His intricate pen-and-ink drawings captured the whimsical world of fairy tales and folklore.
Lastly, in more recent history, one cannot overlook Reverend Darlow Graham (1908-1995), an American Baptist minister and civil rights activist who played a significant role in the American Civil Rights Movement. He worked alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and other leaders to promote racial equality and justice.
People
Darlow + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Darlow 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
Darlow: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Darlow?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Darlow 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 171,377,169 US residents.
Is Darlow a common name?
We classify Darlow as "Very Rare". It ranks above 4.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Darlow most popular?
The single biggest year for Darlow was 1942, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Darlow is about 96 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Darlow in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Darlow a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Darlow in the SSA data are male. 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.
Is Darlow still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Darlow in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Darlow can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Darlow?
Find out how many Americans are named Darlow on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.