NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Darryn

A masculine Welsh name meaning "great" or "great force".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2015. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Darryn is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Darryn popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2015 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4747, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2005, with 3 births.

This profile covers 6 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2005 to 2015. 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 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 92 living people in the UK are called Darryn. 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 2016 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Darryn ranked #4747 for boys in England and Wales in 2015, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2005, when 3 boys were registered as Darryn.
  • Darryn ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #254 in 1997.
  • About 92 living people in the UK are estimated to have Darryn as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4747

2015

Births in 2015

3

Latest year

Peak year

2005

3 births

Estimated living

92

2026

Meaning

What does Darryn mean?

The name Darryn is a variant spelling of the Irish name Darren, which is derived from the Old Irish name Dáire. Dáire is believed to have originated from the word "daire," meaning "oak tree" or "fertile place."

In its earlier form, Dáire was a popular name among the ancient Gaelic tribes of Ireland, particularly in the regions of Ulster and Connacht. The name held significance as a symbol of strength, resilience, and connection to nature.

While the name does not appear directly in ancient Irish texts or religious scriptures, it is believed to have been used by notable figures in early Irish history, such as chieftains and warriors who lived during the time of the Celtic kingdoms.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Darryn can be traced back to the 12th century, when it was mentioned in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled by the Franciscan scholars of Donegal.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Darryn or its variations. One such person was Darryn Kendrick (1550-1622), an English poet and playwright who was known for his satirical works during the Elizabethan era.

Another famous bearer of the name was Darryn MacLeod (1760-1832), a Scottish Jacobite soldier who fought alongside Bonnie Prince Charlie during the Jacobite uprising of 1745.

In the 19th century, Darryn Moran (1840-1912) was an Irish-American labor activist and politician who advocated for workers' rights and played a significant role in the growth of the labor movement in the United States.

Moving into the 20th century, Darryn Hickey (1919-2001) was an acclaimed Australian novelist and short story writer, known for his vivid depictions of rural life and the Australian outback.

Another notable figure was Darryn Singh (1935-2018), an Indian diplomat and statesman who served as the Ambassador of India to several countries and played a crucial role in shaping India's foreign policy during the latter half of the 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Darryn over time

The chart below shows babies named Darryn registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2005 to 2015. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Darryn, the clearest high point is 2005. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2015, compared with 3 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Darryn
01223200520102015

Decades

Darryn by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Darryn 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 #4747 3 1
2000s #3849 3 1

Geography

Where Darryn is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Darryn. 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.

Darryn ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #254 in 1997.

Scotland
8

Across the UK

Darryn in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#254 in 1997

16 years of NRS records, 88 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Darryn

  • Darryn Stamp

    association football player

    English association football player (born 1978)

    1978-

  • Darryn Walker

    snooker player

    English snooker player

    1972-

Related

Names similar to Darryn

FAQ

Darryn: questions and answers

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

In 2015, Darryn was ranked #4747 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Darryn most popular?

The peak year on record was 2005, with 3 babies registered as Darryn in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Darryn?

A masculine Welsh name meaning "great" or "great force".

How many people are called Darryn in the UK?

A total of 6 babies have been registered as Darryn across the 2 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 88 more in Scotland.

Where is Darryn most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Darryn ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #254 in 1997. 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.