Darlene
Girl name · #1845 in 2025 · Uniqueness 69/100
Darlene is currently the #1845 girl name in the United States — 108 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1437, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 16,667 girls born in 2025 was named Darlene.
Babies named Darlene per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 129-year story
Darlene first appears in the Social Security records in 1896, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1958, when 8,278 girls were named Darlene — good for #49 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Darlene against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Darlene in class?
Darlene scores 69 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Darlene will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Darlene is most common
Geography matters for names, and Darlene is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Darlenes were CA (32), TX (15), FL (8). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Darlene
Statistically, parents drawn to Darlene tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Charlene, Diane, Denise, Marianne, and Suzanne.
CharleneDianeDeniseMarianneSuzanneFrancineYvonneAnnette
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Darlene | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 108 | #1844 |
| 2024 | 113 | #1779 |
| 2023 | 108 | #1850 |
| 2022 | 108 | #1870 |
| 2021 | 103 | #1910 |
| 2020 | 110 | #1792 |
| 2019 | 122 | #1708 |
| 2018 | 134 | #1595 |
| 2017 | 146 | #1515 |
| 2016 | 144 | #1550 |
| 2015 | 160 | #1437 |
| 2014 | 171 | #1362 |
| 2013 | 187 | #1267 |
| 2012 | 217 | #1132 |
| 2011 | 196 | #1224 |
| 2010 | 208 | #1165 |
| 2009 | 215 | #1167 |
| 2008 | 236 | #1100 |
| 2007 | 223 | #1147 |
| 2006 | 244 | #1050 |
| 2005 | 225 | #1061 |
| 2004 | 236 | #997 |
| 2003 | 203 | #1084 |
| 2002 | 251 | #894 |
| 2001 | 266 | #855 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Darlene a popular girl name?
Darlene ranked #1845 among girls in 2025 with 108 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1437.
When was the name Darlene most popular?
Darlene peaked in 1958, when 8,278 American girls received the name (ranked #49 that year). Since 1958 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Darlene?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 16,667 newborn American girls was named Darlene. It scores 69/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.