Darryel
A masculine name of uncertain etymology and meaning.
Name Census estimates that about 201 living Americans carry the first name Darryel. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Darryel today is around 62 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Darryel births was 1957 (18 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Darryel. 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
201
~ 1 in 1,705,245 Americans
Peak year
1957
18 babies that year
Average age
62
years old
1991 SSA rank
#8,472
Tracked since 1939
Census
Darryel in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 216 people with the first name Darryel, which placed it at #36,618 in the published first-name tables. This is a snapshot of people who already had the name at the time of the Census.
The SSA sections elsewhere on this page answer a different question: how often parents gave the name to babies over time. The "people living today" figure on this page is different again: it is a current estimate built from SSA birth records and age-based survival rates, so the two numbers are not expected to match exactly.
2020 Census rank
#36,618
National first-name rank
People counted
216
216 in the published race/origin table
Per 100,000
0.1
People with this name in 2020
Largest reported group
Black or African American
63.4% of people with this name
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Darryel
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Darryel is Black at 63.4%. The next largest groups are White (28.2%) and Hispanic (3.2%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself.
The bar chart below shows how people with the first name Darryel described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given name, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown so the breakdown is easy to read across every published category. Because the 2020 Census first-name file also includes raw headcounts for each group, Name Census can show those alongside the percentages in the legend and hover tooltip.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A first name does not determine a person's race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the name Darryel at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American63.4% · 137
- White28.2% · 61
- Hispanic or Latino3.2% · 7
- Two or more races2.8% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 1
Popularity
Darryel: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Darryel from the 1930s through to the 1990s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 114 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
Darryel 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 Darryel during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Darryel
The name Darryel is a unique and fascinating one with a rich history that spans multiple cultures and time periods. Its origins can be traced back to the ancient Celtic languages, where it is believed to have derived from the word "doir," meaning oak or oak tree.
In the early medieval period, the name Darryel gained popularity among Celtic communities in Ireland and Scotland. It was often associated with strength, resilience, and a connection to nature, reflecting the cultural significance of oak trees in these regions. The name was particularly prevalent in areas with strong druidic traditions, where oak trees held spiritual and symbolic importance.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Darryel can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a medieval Irish chronicle that dates back to the 15th century. Here, the name is mentioned in reference to a warrior and chieftain from the northern regions of Ireland.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Darryel. One such figure was Darryel MacCormick (1598-1673), a Scottish nobleman and military leader who played a pivotal role in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms during the 17th century. His unwavering courage and strategic acumen earned him a place in the annals of Scottish history.
Another prominent Darryel was Darryel O'Byrne (1725-1798), an Irish poet and bard who is renowned for his contributions to the preservation of traditional Irish literature and culture. His works served as a bridge between the ancient Celtic traditions and the modern era, ensuring that the rich heritage of his people was not lost to time.
In the realm of literature, Darryel Blackwood (1869-1951) was an influential American author and playwright. His works, which often explored themes of identity and social justice, garnered critical acclaim and paved the way for future generations of writers from diverse backgrounds.
Moving into the 20th century, Darryel Fitzpatrick (1919-2002) was a prominent Australian artist and sculptor. His remarkable works, which often drew inspiration from the natural world and indigenous cultures, adorned numerous public spaces and galleries across the country, leaving an indelible mark on the Australian art scene.
The name Darryel has also found its way into the world of sports, with Darryel Jackson (1947-2019) being a notable figure. A gifted basketball player, Jackson was a trailblazer who overcame numerous obstacles to become one of the first African American athletes to play professionally in Europe, paving the way for future generations of players.
These are just a few examples of the remarkable individuals who have carried the name Darryel throughout history. While the name may be less common in modern times, its rich legacy and connection to ancient traditions continue to captivate and inspire those who appreciate the power of names and their ability to carry cultural significance across generations.
People
Darryel + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Darryel 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
Darryel: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Darryel?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 201 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Darryel 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 1,705,245 US residents.
Is Darryel a common name?
We classify Darryel as "Very Rare". It ranks above 74.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 248 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Darryel most popular?
The single biggest year for Darryel was 1957, when 18 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Darryel is about 62 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
How common was Darryel in the 2020 Census?
The published 2020 Census first-name tables recorded 216 people with the name Darryel, or 0.07 per 100,000 residents. That placed it at #36,618 in the national Census ranking for first names.
Why is the Census count different from the living estimate?
Because they measure different things. The Census figure is a count of people who had the name Darryel in 2020. The living estimate aims to answer a current question instead: how many people with the name are alive today, based on SSA birth records and age-based survival rates. Since one number is a 2020 snapshot and the other is a present-day estimate, they are not expected to be identical.
What does the Census say about the gender split for Darryel?
In the 2020 Census sex table, Darryel leans strongly male. 202 people counted with this name were male (91.8%), compared with 18 female bearers (8.2%). The Census view is a snapshot of people living with the name in 2020, while the SSA section above tracks births across time.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Darryel?
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Darryel is Black at 63.4%. The next largest groups are White (28.2%) and Hispanic (3.2%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself. The percentages in the chart above come from self-reported race and Hispanic-origin responses in the 2020 Census.
Which group reports the name Darryel most often in the Census?
Black is the largest reported group for people named Darryel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 63.4% (137 people in the published table).
Why can the Census sex total and race total differ slightly?
The Census Bureau published separate 2020 tables for sex and for race/Hispanic origin, and the released figures can differ slightly because of privacy protection in the public files. That is why this page treats the gender section and the race/origin section as two related snapshots instead of forcing them into one identical total.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only includes names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files have no Census demographic snapshot. When that happens, the SSA trend, gender history, and state sections still appear, but the 2020 Census demographic sections are omitted.
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 Darryel in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Darryel a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Darryel 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 Darryel still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Darryel 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 Darryel 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.
How many people have the name Darryel?
See how many people share the name Darryel on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.