Darlene
Girl name · #1845 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Darlene? In official American birth records, Darlene has been tracked continuously since 1896, giving it 129 years of documented American history.
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. Source: Official national birth records.
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?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Darlene is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". 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
State-level data for Darlene is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
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
How old is the name Darlene?
In official American birth records, the name Darlene first appeared in 1896 (over 129 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
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. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.