Darla
Girl name · #941 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Darla? In official American birth records, Darla has been tracked continuously since 1924, giving it 101 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 275 baby girls were named Darla, placing it at #941 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1677, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 6,545 girls born in 2025 was named Darla.
The 101-year story
Darla first appears in the Social Security records in 1924, when 7 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1963, when 2,391 girls were named Darla — good for #165 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Darla per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Darla against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Darla in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Darla is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Darla will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Darla is most common
Geography matters for names, and Darla is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Darla is most common in CA (0.3 per 1,000), TX (0.2 per 1,000), FL (0.2 per 1,000), NY (0.2 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Darla is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Darla
Statistically, parents drawn to Darla tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Carla, Paula, Marla, Karla, and Teresa.
CarlaPaulaMarlaKarlaTeresaDinaLisaDonna
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Darla | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 275 | #941 |
| 2024 | 246 | #1025 |
| 2023 | 199 | #1202 |
| 2022 | 202 | #1190 |
| 2021 | 190 | #1236 |
| 2020 | 155 | #1412 |
| 2019 | 165 | #1366 |
| 2018 | 181 | #1271 |
| 2017 | 161 | #1416 |
| 2016 | 185 | #1294 |
| 2015 | 127 | #1677 |
| 2014 | 161 | #1416 |
| 2013 | 151 | #1470 |
| 2012 | 174 | #1346 |
| 2011 | 143 | #1531 |
| 2010 | 140 | #1569 |
| 2009 | 126 | #1733 |
| 2008 | 127 | #1740 |
| 2007 | 106 | #1940 |
| 2006 | 88 | #2186 |
| 2005 | 104 | #1855 |
| 2004 | 109 | #1756 |
| 2003 | 105 | #1786 |
| 2002 | 91 | #1934 |
| 2001 | 106 | #1700 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Darla?
In official American birth records, the name Darla first appeared in 1924 (over 101 years ago), when 7 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 101 years.
Is Darla a popular girl name?
Darla ranked #941 among girls in 2025 with 275 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1677.
When was the name Darla most popular?
Darla peaked in 1963, when 2,391 American girls received the name (ranked #165 that year). Since 1963 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Darla?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 6,545 newborn American girls was named Darla. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.