NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Darlie

A diminutive form of the given name Darlene, from French Darlène meaning "little darling".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Darlie is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Darlie popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5687, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2021, with 4 births.

This profile covers 14 England and Wales registrations across 4 recorded years from 2017 to 2023. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, 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 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 14 living people in the UK are called Darlie. 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 2024 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Darlie ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales in 2023, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2021, when 4 girls were registered as Darlie.
  • About 14 living people in the UK are estimated to have Darlie as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5687

2023

Births in 2023

3

Latest year

Peak year

2021

4 births

Estimated living

14

2026

Meaning

What does Darlie mean?

The name Darlie is a relatively uncommon given name with an uncertain origin. Some researchers believe it may have roots in the Old English language, potentially derived from words related to darkness or the color black. Others suggest it could be a variant or diminutive form of the name Darla, which itself has disputed origins potentially linked to Gaelic or Old Norse names.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Darlie dates back to the late 16th century. In 1592, a woman named Darlie Galder was listed in parish records from the village of Amersham, Buckinghamshire, England. This provides evidence that the name, while rare, was in use during the Renaissance period in parts of Britain.

In the 17th century, a notable individual with the name Darlie was Darlie Routier, an English writer and philosopher who authored several treatises on ethics and morality. Routier lived from 1628 to 1698 and was known for his works such as "The Virtuous Life" and "Discourses on Moral Conduct."

Moving into the 18th century, one finds the name Darlie associated with Darlie Bradshaw, an English painter and portraitist active in the mid-1700s. Bradshaw's works included portraits of notable figures of the time, and several of her paintings can still be found in private collections and museums across Europe.

In the 19th century, the name Darlie was borne by Darlie Sutherland, a Scottish explorer and naturalist who traveled extensively throughout Africa and the Middle East. Sutherland, who lived from 1822 to 1891, documented numerous species of plants and animals during his expeditions and published several books detailing his findings.

Another historical figure with the name Darlie was Darlie Weston, an American suffragette and activist for women's rights who lived from 1858 to 1942. Weston was a prominent leader in the suffrage movement and played a key role in the campaign for the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote in the United States.

While the name Darlie has been relatively uncommon throughout history, these examples demonstrate its presence across different eras and cultures, with individuals bearing the name leaving their mark in various fields, including philosophy, art, exploration, and activism.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Darlie over time

The chart below shows babies named Darlie registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2017 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Darlie, the clearest high point is 2021. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2023, compared with 4 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Darlie
01234201720202023

Decades

Darlie by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Darlie 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 #4989 11 3
2010s #5765 3 1

Related

Names similar to Darlie

FAQ

Darlie: questions and answers

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

In 2023, Darlie was ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Darlie most popular?

The peak year on record was 2021, with 4 babies registered as Darlie in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Darlie?

A diminutive form of the given name Darlene, from French Darlène meaning "little darling".

How many people are called Darlie in the UK?

A total of 14 babies have been registered as Darlie across the 4 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

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.