Darlyn
A feminine name, possibly a combination of Darlene and Lynn.
Name Census estimates that about 1,721 living Americans carry the first name Darlyn. It is a predominantly female name (98.4% of registrations). The average person named Darlyn today is around 32 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Darlyn births was 2006 (61 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Darlyn. 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
1.7K
~ 1 in 199,160 Americans
Peak year
2006
61 babies that year
Average age
32
years old
2020 SSA rank
#4,205
Tracked since 1926
Gender
Gender distribution for Darlyn
Darlyn leans heavily female at 98.4% of total registrations, but 33 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Darlyn as a male name
- Ranked #9,796 in 2020
- 7 male births in 2020
- Peak: 2006 (9 births)
Darlyn as a female name
- Ranked #4,205 in 2024
- 34 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2021 (61 births)
Popularity
Darlyn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Darlyn from the 1920s through to the 2020s, spanning 11 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 389 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Darlyn remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Darlyn 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 Darlyn during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Darlyns live
The SSA's state-level files cover 8 states and territories. California, Texas, New York recorded the most babies named Darlyn, while Florida, Virginia, Maryland recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 71 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Darlyn
The name Darlyn is of uncertain origin, with no clear consensus among name scholars and etymologists. It is believed to be a modern invention, possibly derived from a combination of existing names or words, rather than having a direct lineage from a specific language or culture.
Some experts suggest that Darlyn may be a blend of the names Darlene and Lyn, both of which have English origins. Darlene is a feminine name that emerged in the early 20th century, possibly derived from the French name Arlene or the English name Darling. Lyn, on the other hand, is a shortened form of names like Lynette or Lyndsey, which have roots in Old English and Old German.
While the name Darlyn does not appear to have any direct historical references or mentions in ancient texts or religious scriptures, its potential components, such as Darlene and Lyn, have been documented throughout history.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Darlyn are relatively modern, with the first known bearers likely emerging in the mid-to-late 20th century. However, there are a few notable individuals who have carried this name throughout history.
One of the earliest known individuals named Darlyn was Darlyn Finch Kuhn (born 1932), an American author and academic who wrote extensively on the history of science and technology. Another notable bearer was Darlyn Boudreau (1951-2017), a Canadian singer and songwriter who performed in both French and English.
In the world of sports, Darlyn Vlysinger (born 1964) is a former American professional basketball player who competed in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) during the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Darlyn Gee (born 1968) is an Australian actress and television presenter, best known for her roles in various Australian soap operas and crime dramas.
More recently, Darlyn Daniels (born 1986) is an American singer and songwriter who has released several albums in the genres of R&B and soul music.
While the name Darlyn may be a relatively modern invention, its potential components and the individuals who have borne this name have contributed to its unique history and legacy.
People
Darlyn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Darlyn 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
Darlyn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Darlyn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,721 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Darlyn 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 199,160 US residents.
Is Darlyn a common name?
We classify Darlyn as "Rare". It ranks above 93.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,065 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Darlyn most popular?
The single biggest year for Darlyn was 2006, when 61 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Darlyn is about 32 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Darlyn a female name?
Yes, 98.4% of people registered as Darlyn 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.