Darek
Boy name · #3980 in 2025 · Very rare
Darek ranks #3980 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 27 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #3882, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 66,667 boys born in 2025 was named Darek.
The 68-year story
Darek first appears in the Social Security records in 1957, when 6 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1973, when 53 boys were named Darek — good for #1123 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 Darek per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Darek against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Darek in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Darek is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Darek will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Darek is most common
State-level data for Darek 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 Darek
Statistically, parents drawn to Darek tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Derik, Nicola, Daron, Cedrick, and Vidal.
DerikNicolaDaronCedrickVidalTitoDarvinBrant
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Darek | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 27 | #3949 |
| 2024 | 30 | #3693 |
| 2023 | 48 | #2693 |
| 2022 | 36 | #3278 |
| 2021 | 18 | #5110 |
| 2020 | 11 | #7034 |
| 2019 | 8 | #8889 |
| 2018 | 14 | #6036 |
| 2017 | 17 | #5297 |
| 2016 | 11 | #7157 |
| 2015 | 27 | #3882 |
| 2014 | 10 | #7562 |
| 2013 | 13 | #6241 |
| 2012 | 22 | #4390 |
| 2011 | 12 | #6578 |
| 2010 | 20 | #4678 |
| 2009 | 17 | #5334 |
| 2008 | 16 | #5487 |
| 2007 | 21 | #4493 |
| 2006 | 20 | #4520 |
| 2005 | 26 | #3615 |
| 2004 | 13 | #5813 |
| 2003 | 19 | #4276 |
| 2002 | 18 | #4322 |
| 2001 | 18 | #4302 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Darek a popular boy name?
Darek ranked #3980 among boys in 2025 with 27 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3882.
When was the name Darek most popular?
Darek peaked in 1973, when 53 American boys received the name (ranked #1123 that year). Since 1973 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Darek?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 66,667 newborn American boys was named Darek. 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.