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Darryl

Boy / Girl name · 450 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Darryl: 450 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to both boys and girls, peaking at 42 births in 1992.

Darryl is a modern English variant of the Old French name D’Airelle, meaning “from Airelle,” a place name thought to derive from a Gaulish word for an oak tree. The spelling with a single ‘r’ became popular in the mid-20th century, particularly in Scotland and the United States. Famous bearers include American actor Darryl Hickman, a child star of the 1940s, and Darryl Strawberry, the celebrated baseball player whose surname also evokes the fruit. The name shares its root with the English surname Darrell, and the variant Darrel is also common. In Scotland, Darryl saw a notable spike in popularity during the 1970s, perhaps influenced by the character Darryl in the sitcom *The Newhart Show*, though the name’s appeal has since waned.