NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Daren

A Persian masculine name meaning "one who holds possessions".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Daren is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Daren popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4270, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2009, with 9 births.

This profile covers 103 England and Wales registrations across 17 recorded years from 2000 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 44% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 126 living people in the UK are called Daren. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Daren ranked #4270 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2009, when 9 boys were registered as Daren.
  • Daren ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #370 in 1991.
  • About 126 living people in the UK are estimated to have Daren as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4270

2024

Births in 2024

4

Latest year

Peak year

2009

9 births

Estimated living

126

2026

Meaning

What does Daren mean?

The name Daren has its origins in the Old English language, deriving from the combination of the elements "deor" meaning "beloved" and "ren" meaning "counsel" or "advice." It dates back to the Anglo-Saxon period in Britain, spanning from the 5th to the 11th centuries AD. The name was commonly associated with the regions of England, particularly the southern and central areas where Old English was widely spoken.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Daren can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England completed in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Dærene" and "Dærene," reflecting the linguistic variations of the time.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Daren. Daren of Cologne (c. 1150 – c. 1220) was a German philosopher and theologian who wrote extensively on metaphysics and the nature of the soul. Another prominent figure was Daren de Montfort (1208 – 1265), an English nobleman and military commander who played a significant role in the Second Barons' War against King Henry III.

In the realm of literature, Daren Chaucer (c. 1340 – 1400), the celebrated English poet and author, is often referred to as the "Father of English Literature." His masterpiece, "The Canterbury Tales," is a seminal work that has profoundly influenced the English literary tradition.

Moving forward in time, Daren Wren (1632 – 1723) was a renowned English architect who is credited with designing numerous iconic buildings, including St. Paul's Cathedral in London, one of the most recognizable landmarks in the city.

Another notable figure was Daren Wilberforce (1759 – 1833), a British politician, philanthropist, and a leading figure in the movement to abolish the slave trade in the British Empire. His tireless efforts and oratory skills played a crucial role in the eventual passage of the Slavery Abolition Act in 1833.

While the name Daren has seen a decline in popularity in recent decades, its rich history and cultural significance remain undeniable, with notable figures spanning various fields and eras.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Daren over time

The chart below shows babies named Daren registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2000 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Daren, the clearest high point is 2009. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 9 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Daren
02579200020122024

Decades

Daren by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Daren was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #3928 17 4
2010s #2661 60 8
2000s #2980 26 5

Geography

Where Daren is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Daren. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Daren ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #370 in 1991.

Scotland
3

Across the UK

Daren in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#370 in 1991

7 years of NRS records, 24 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Daren

  • Daren Usher

    association football player

    Bermudian footballer

    1995-

  • Daren O'Leary

    rugby union player

    English rugby union player

    1973-

  • Daren King

    novelist; writer

    British novelist and children's writer

    1972-

  • Daren Sweeney

    cricketer

    Montserratian cricketer (born 1970)

    1970-

  • Daren Foster

    cricketer

    English cricketer (born 1966)

    1966-

  • Daren Lee

    golfer

    professional golfer

    1965-

  • Daren Caruana

    physical chemist

    British professor of physical chemistry

Related

Names similar to Daren

FAQ

Daren: questions and answers

How popular is the name Daren in the UK right now?

In 2024, Daren was ranked #4270 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.

When was Daren most popular?

The peak year on record was 2009, with 9 babies registered as Daren in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Daren?

A Persian masculine name meaning "one who holds possessions".

How many people are called Daren in the UK?

A total of 103 babies have been registered as Daren across the 17 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 24 more in Scotland.

Where is Daren most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Daren ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #370 in 1991. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.