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Darla

Girl name · 65 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Darla: 65 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 18 births in 2024.

Darla first emerged as a feminine given name in the English-speaking world during the late 19th century, likely as a diminutive of Darlene or a variant of the Old English word “deorling,” meaning “darling” or “beloved.” It gained lasting recognition through Darla Hood, the cherubic child actress who played a recurring role in the Our Gang comedies from the 1930s, and later found a different notoriety as a fictional vampire in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. While the name has no strong Scottish place connections, its soft, affectionate sound has kept it in steady but modest use. A notable variant is Darlene, which shares the same root meaning and enjoyed greater popularity a generation earlier.