Darral
A masculine name of unknown origin and meaning.
Name Census estimates that about 297 living Americans carry the first name Darral. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Darral today is around 62 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Darral births was 1957 (20 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Darral. 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
297
~ 1 in 1,154,055 Americans
Peak year
1957
20 babies that year
Average age
62
years old
1997 SSA rank
#9,581
Tracked since 1926
Popularity
Darral: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Darral from the 1920s through to the 1990s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 120 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Darral 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 Darral during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Darrals live
Origin
Meaning and history of Darral
The name Darral is believed to have its origins in the Old English language, tracing back to the Anglo-Saxon era of the 5th to 11th centuries. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "deor," meaning "beloved" or "dear," and "ræd," meaning "counsel" or "advice." Thus, the name Darral may have originally signified "dear counselor" or "beloved advisor."
During the Anglo-Saxon period, the name was likely spelled in various ways, such as "Dearræd," "Dearrædd," or "Deorræd," reflecting the fluid nature of spelling conventions at the time. As the English language evolved, the name eventually settled into the modern spelling of "Darral."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Darral can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. A person named "Deorræd" is mentioned as a landowner in the county of Sussex.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Darral. One such figure was Darral of Aldborough (c. 1150-1220), an English cleric who served as the Archdeacon of Richmond and was known for his scholarly writings on canon law.
Another prominent bearer of the name was Sir Darral Cavendish (1550-1628), an English courtier and diplomat during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He played a crucial role in negotiating the Treaty of London in 1604, which resolved conflicts between England and Spain.
In the realm of literature, the name Darral is associated with Darral Stevenson (1830-1894), a Scottish novelist and poet who gained recognition for his works depicting life in rural Scotland, such as "Weir of Hermiston" and "The Master of Ballantrae."
The 19th century also saw the rise of Darral Pritchett (1845-1923), an American entrepreneur and industrialist who founded the Pritchett Manufacturing Company, a pioneering firm in the production of agricultural machinery.
Lastly, Darral Humphries (1892-1966) was a Welsh artist and illustrator renowned for his contributions to children's literature, particularly his illustrations for the beloved book series "The Chronicles of Narnia" by C.S. Lewis.
While the name Darral has waned in popularity in recent times, its rich historical roots and associations with notable figures from various fields underscore its enduring legacy as a distinctive and meaningful moniker.
People
Darral + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Darral 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
Darral: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Darral?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 297 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Darral 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 1,154,055 US residents.
Is Darral a common name?
We classify Darral as "Very Rare". It ranks above 79.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 385 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Darral most popular?
The single biggest year for Darral was 1957, when 20 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Darral is about 62 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Darral a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Darral 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.
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.