UK boy's name
Darlington
An English place name derived from the Old English words "deor" (deer) and "tun" (enclosure or town).
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2017. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Darlington is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Darlington popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2017 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4812, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2008, with 4 births.
This profile covers 7 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2008 to 2017. 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 7 living people in the UK are called Darlington. 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 2018 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Darlington ranked #4812 for boys in England and Wales in 2017, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2008, when 4 boys were registered as Darlington.
- • About 7 living people in the UK are estimated to have Darlington as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4812
2017
Births in 2017
3
Latest year
Peak year
2008
4 births
Estimated living
7
2026
Meaning
What does Darlington mean?
The name Darlington is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is a place name derived from the town of Darlington in County Durham, which was first recorded as Derenington in the Domesday Book of 1086. The name is thought to be a combination of the Old English words "deor" meaning deer, and "ing" meaning a meadow or pasture, suggesting it was originally a meadow or pasture where deer grazed.
Darlington as a given name likely emerged from the place name, as it was a common practice in medieval times for people to adopt the name of their place of origin or residence as a surname or given name. The earliest recorded use of Darlington as a first name dates back to the 13th century, when a man named Darlington de Darlington was mentioned in historical records from 1273.
In the 14th century, a notable figure with the name Darlington was Sir Darlington de Wyvill, a knight and landowner from Yorkshire, who lived from around 1320 to 1385. Another early bearer of the name was John Darlington, a scholar and theologian from Oxford University, who lived from approximately 1380 to 1457.
During the Renaissance period, a famous Darlington was William Darlington, an English botanist and physician who lived from 1782 to 1863. He was known for his extensive work on the flora of Pennsylvania and his contributions to the study of plant taxonomy.
In the 19th century, Darlington Crisp was a notable English architect and surveyor who lived from 1808 to 1882. He was responsible for designing several churches and public buildings in London and the surrounding areas.
Another notable Darlington from the 19th century was Darlington Parry, a Welsh composer and musician who lived from 1829 to 1902. He is particularly remembered for his contributions to Welsh choral music and for composing the popular song "Ar Hyd y Nos" (All Through the Night).
While the name Darlington has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world and continues to be used as a given name in various cultures and societies.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Darlington over time
The chart below shows babies named Darlington registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2008 to 2017. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Darlington, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2017, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Darlington by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Darlington 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4812 | 3 | 1 |
| 2000s | #3687 | 4 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Darlington
- Daniel 120,900
- Dylan 60,836
- David 37,852
- Dominic 20,480
- Declan 11,657
- Dexter 11,627
- Danny 8,434
- Dean 5,329
- Dillon 4,113
- Douglas 3,773
- Dominik 3,494
- Damian 3,486
FAQ
Darlington: questions and answers
How popular is the name Darlington in the UK right now?
In 2017, Darlington was ranked #4812 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Darlington most popular?
The peak year on record was 2008, with 4 babies registered as Darlington in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Darlington?
An English place name derived from the Old English words "deor" (deer) and "tun" (enclosure or town).
How many people are called Darlington in the UK?
A total of 7 babies have been registered as Darlington across the 2 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.