Darby
Girl name · #2572 in 2025 · Very rare
In 2025, 68 baby girls were named Darby, placing it at #2572 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1861, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 26,471 girls born in 2025 was named Darby.
The 89-year story
Darby first appears in the Social Security records in 1936, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1995, when 491 girls were named Darby — good for #499 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Darby per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Darby against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Darby in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Darby is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Darby will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Darby is most common
State-level data for Darby is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Darby
Statistically, parents drawn to Darby tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Karly, Keely, Colby, Dasha, and Carley.
KarlyKeelyColbyDashaCarleyDejaDayshaKolby
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Darby | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 68 | #2564 |
| 2024 | 51 | #3119 |
| 2023 | 74 | #2415 |
| 2022 | 68 | #2579 |
| 2021 | 95 | #2024 |
| 2020 | 82 | #2196 |
| 2019 | 89 | #2109 |
| 2018 | 89 | #2130 |
| 2017 | 123 | #1721 |
| 2016 | 120 | #1735 |
| 2015 | 110 | #1861 |
| 2014 | 106 | #1892 |
| 2013 | 119 | #1737 |
| 2012 | 118 | #1744 |
| 2011 | 136 | #1592 |
| 2010 | 152 | #1481 |
| 2009 | 136 | #1639 |
| 2008 | 161 | #1461 |
| 2007 | 189 | #1292 |
| 2006 | 156 | #1440 |
| 2005 | 197 | #1168 |
| 2004 | 188 | #1191 |
| 2003 | 215 | #1054 |
| 2002 | 235 | #951 |
| 2001 | 217 | #989 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Darby a popular girl name?
Darby ranked #2572 among girls in 2025 with 68 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1861.
When was the name Darby most popular?
Darby peaked in 1995, when 491 American girls received the name (ranked #499 that year). Since 1995 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Darby?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 26,471 newborn American girls was named Darby. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.