UK boy's name
Darrin
From the Old English name Deryn, meaning little deer.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2021. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Darrin is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Darrin popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2021 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4789, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1997, with 4 births.
This profile covers 18 England and Wales registrations across 5 recorded years from 1997 to 2021. 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 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 78 living people in the UK are called Darrin. 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 2022 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Darrin ranked #4789 for boys in England and Wales in 2021, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1997, when 4 boys were registered as Darrin.
- • Darrin ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #337 in 1995.
- • About 78 living people in the UK are estimated to have Darrin as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4789
2021
Births in 2021
3
Latest year
Peak year
1997
4 births
Estimated living
78
2026
Meaning
What does Darrin mean?
The name Darrin is an English variant of the Irish name Dáire, which means "fertile" or "fruitful". It originated from the Gaelic word "dair", meaning "oak tree". The name has its roots in ancient Celtic culture, where oak trees were revered as symbols of strength, endurance, and fertility.
In its earliest form, the name was spelled as "Dáire" or "Daire" in ancient Irish texts and historical records. It was a popular name among the Celts, particularly in Ireland, where it was associated with druids and their reverence for nature.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. It mentions a king named Dáire Dornmhor, who ruled over parts of Ulster in the 6th century.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Darrin or its variants. One of the most famous was Dáire mac Dáire Cerbba (fl. 507-546), an Irish saint and abbot who founded the monastery of Disert-Daire (now Castledermot) in County Kildare, Ireland.
Another prominent figure was Dáire Dornmhor (fl. 507-565), a semi-legendary Irish king who ruled over parts of Ulster and Connacht in the 6th century. He is mentioned in several medieval Irish tales, including the Táin Bó Cúailnge (The Cattle Raid of Cooley).
In more recent times, the name Darrin gained popularity in the English-speaking world, particularly in the United States. One notable bearer was Darrin McGavin (1922-2006), an American actor best known for his role as Carl Kolchak in the television series "Kolchak: The Night Stalker".
Another famous Darrin was Darrin Stephens, the fictional character portrayed by Dick York and later Dick Sargent in the popular 1960s sitcom "Bewitched". The character's name was a nod to the Irish origins of the name.
In literature, Darrin is the name of a character in the novel "The Corrections" by Jonathan Franzen, published in 2001. The character, Darrin Franzen, is a successful businessman and the son of the main protagonist, Alfred Franzen.
While the name Darrin has roots in ancient Celtic culture, it has evolved and gained popularity across various regions and cultures, particularly in the English-speaking world. Its connection to nature, fertility, and strength has endured throughout its long history, making it a name with rich cultural significance.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Darrin over time
The chart below shows babies named Darrin registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1997 to 2021. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Darrin, the clearest high point is 1997. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2021, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Darrin by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Darrin 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 | #4319 | 7 | 2 |
| 2010s | #3959 | 4 | 1 |
| 2000s | #3225 | 3 | 1 |
| 1990s | #2337 | 4 | 1 |
Geography
Where Darrin is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Darrin. 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.
Darrin ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #337 in 1995.
Across the UK
Darrin in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#337 in 1995
14 years of NRS records, 62 total registered
Related
Names similar to Darrin
- 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
Darrin: questions and answers
How popular is the name Darrin in the UK right now?
In 2021, Darrin was ranked #4789 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Darrin most popular?
The peak year on record was 1997, with 4 babies registered as Darrin in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Darrin?
From the Old English name Deryn, meaning little deer.
How many people are called Darrin in the UK?
A total of 18 babies have been registered as Darrin across the 5 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 62 more in Scotland.
Where is Darrin most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Darrin ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #337 in 1995. 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.