Old Norse origin
Source-reportedFrom the English place name Derby, from Old Norse djúr (“deer”) + býr (“settlement”).
Sources for this account (1)
- Wiktionary: DarbyCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
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A name. A world of connections.
Old Norse roots
/ˈdɑːbi/ · English (Received Pronunciation)
01 / Meaning & origin
Darby is a unisex given name documented in English. English Wiktionary traces it to Old Norse djúr.
Separate records with matching spellings: D'Arby (st-956fbefaf0)
From the English place name Derby, from Old Norse djúr (“deer”) + býr (“settlement”).
02 / Across borders
Explore published naming statistics and documented language connections around the world.
The name atlas
10
countries in our sources
Select a country to follow Darby’s connections around the world.
5 countries with published statistics. Language records show cultural connections; they do not measure how common a name is.
Selected country
Statistics + language records
United States, 2025: 68 girls (rank 2564). Documented as a given name in English.
Explore United States4 of 10 countries
03 / By the numbers
Follow the spelling through the years, one published dataset at a time.
1880–2025 Spelling: Darby
Hover to explore a year. Use arrow keys when a chart point has focus.
Source: US Social Security Administration; redistributed by nkrishnaswami · SSA national baby names, 1880–2025 (CC0 redistribution)
Integer application counts retained without rounding.
Per million is unavailable: this source has no matching published total.
| Year | Applications | Rank | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1881 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1882 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1883 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1884 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1885 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1886 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1887 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1888 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1889 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1890 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1891 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1892 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1893 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1894 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1895 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1896 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1897 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1898 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1899 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1900 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1901 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1902 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1903 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1904 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1905 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1906 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1907 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1908 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1909 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1910 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1911 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1912 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1913 | 6 | 2,496 | observed |
| 1914 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1915 | 5 | 3,825 | observed |
| 1916 | 5 | 3,897 | observed |
| 1917 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1918 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1919 | 6 | 3,736 | observed |
| 1920 | 7 | 3,489 | observed |
| 1921 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1922 | 5 | 4,307 | observed |
| 1923 | 6 | 3,822 | observed |
| 1924 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1925 | 11 | 2,588 | observed |
| 1926 | 8 | 3,139 | observed |
| 1927 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1928 | 10 | 2,659 | observed |
| 1929 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1930 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1931 | 7 | 3,095 | observed |
| 1932 | 5 | 3,776 | observed |
| 1933 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1934 | 10 | 2,393 | observed |
| 1935 | 5 | 3,645 | observed |
| 1936 | 7 | 2,854 | observed |
| 1937 | 7 | 2,905 | observed |
| 1938 | 9 | 2,479 | observed |
| 1939 | 6 | 3,113 | observed |
| 1940 | 10 | 2,322 | observed |
| 1941 | 7 | 2,872 | observed |
| 1942 | 9 | 2,523 | observed |
| 1943 | 8 | 2,732 | observed |
| 1944 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1945 | 6 | 2,996 | observed |
| 1946 | 12 | 2,143 | observed |
| 1947 | 15 | 1,988 | observed |
| 1948 | 10 | 2,443 | observed |
| 1949 | 11 | 2,337 | observed |
| 1950 | 10 | 2,438 | observed |
| 1951 | 18 | 1,774 | observed |
| 1952 | 13 | 2,153 | observed |
| 1953 | 18 | 1,836 | observed |
| 1954 | 21 | 1,668 | observed |
| 1955 | 20 | 1,725 | observed |
| 1956 | 15 | 2,091 | observed |
| 1957 | 24 | 1,634 | observed |
| 1958 | 36 | 1,277 | observed |
| 1959 | 47 | 1,129 | observed |
| 1960 | 37 | 1,295 | observed |
| 1961 | 35 | 1,349 | observed |
| 1962 | 36 | 1,295 | observed |
| 1963 | 30 | 1,426 | observed |
| 1964 | 26 | 1,545 | observed |
| 1965 | 16 | 1,987 | observed |
| 1966 | 34 | 1,299 | observed |
| 1967 | 31 | 1,364 | observed |
| 1968 | 61 | 930 | observed |
| 1969 | 102 | 770 | observed |
| 1970 | 130 | 721 | observed |
| 1971 | 96 | 822 | observed |
| 1972 | 88 | 856 | observed |
| 1973 | 77 | 914 | observed |
| 1974 | 73 | 953 | observed |
| 1975 | 50 | 1,191 | observed |
| 1976 | 56 | 1,144 | observed |
| 1977 | 44 | 1,367 | observed |
| 1978 | 57 | 1,177 | observed |
| 1979 | 36 | 1,598 | observed |
| 1980 | 20 | 2,444 | observed |
| 1981 | 33 | 1,726 | observed |
| 1982 | 25 | 2,111 | observed |
| 1983 | 30 | 1,822 | observed |
| 1984 | 26 | 2,036 | observed |
| 1985 | 27 | 2,071 | observed |
| 1986 | 26 | 2,161 | observed |
| 1987 | 28 | 2,115 | observed |
| 1988 | 31 | 2,035 | observed |
| 1989 | 35 | 2,027 | observed |
| 1990 | 33 | 2,170 | observed |
| 1991 | 32 | 2,227 | observed |
| 1992 | 42 | 1,914 | observed |
| 1993 | 32 | 2,347 | observed |
| 1994 | 35 | 2,259 | observed |
| 1995 | 48 | 1,801 | observed |
| 1996 | 33 | 2,380 | observed |
| 1997 | 36 | 2,311 | observed |
| 1998 | 39 | 2,274 | observed |
| 1999 | 36 | 2,462 | observed |
| 2000 | 40 | 2,379 | observed |
| 2001 | 36 | 2,618 | observed |
| 2002 | 35 | 2,685 | observed |
| 2003 | 46 | 2,312 | observed |
| 2004 | 25 | 3,636 | observed |
| 2005 | 25 | 3,710 | observed |
| 2006 | 37 | 2,979 | observed |
| 2007 | 42 | 2,811 | observed |
| 2008 | 37 | 3,103 | observed |
| 2009 | 23 | 4,278 | observed |
| 2010 | 46 | 2,632 | observed |
| 2011 | 37 | 3,046 | observed |
| 2012 | 40 | 2,905 | observed |
| 2013 | 32 | 3,339 | observed |
| 2014 | 29 | 3,617 | observed |
| 2015 | 27 | 3,882 | observed |
| 2016 | 17 | 5,318 | observed |
| 2017 | 22 | 4,466 | observed |
| 2018 | 31 | 3,524 | observed |
| 2019 | 20 | 4,806 | observed |
| 2020 | 18 | 5,041 | observed |
| 2021 | 22 | 4,494 | observed |
| 2022 | 13 | 6,479 | observed |
| 2023 | 20 | 4,886 | observed |
| 2024 | 10 | 7,765 | observed |
| 2025 | 13 | 6,446 | observed |
Statistics count the spelling “Darby” as recorded by the publisher. When a spelling has several independent origins, the counts are not split between them. Counts measure applications. Gaps are years without a published value, not zeros.
Rates per million are unavailable for this series because no compatible denominator has been imported.
Retrieved 2026-10-15 · CC0-1.0
Read our methodology04 / Through time
Passages quoted verbatim from public-domain reference works. They reflect the scholarship of their time, not current consensus, and may use obsolete spellings.
Darby— “freeman”
Diarmid, or, as it is commonly called, Dermot or Darby, is still common among the Irish. Where the saying about Darby and Joan arose, I cannot discover. Darby is the form of Diarmid in Limerick and Tipperary; Jeremiah, strange to say, is used for it in Cork and Kerry. Napoleon, in his enthusiasm for the Ossianic poems of Macpherson, named two of his heroes therefrom, but Diarmaid Murat died in childhood.
Yonge, History of Christian Names (1884), Part V, Chapter III (Gaelic Names), Section V (Diarmaid and Graine) · Public domain (Project Gutenberg)
People recorded with this given name in Wikidata. Their names may use a different spelling, or include it as a middle or baptismal name.
American actress
A little story to keep
Take the story of Darby with you. Create a personal name passport with its meaning, roots and connections.
06 / Behind the facts
Review status: Source-reported — no editorial review recorded yet. Last data change 2026-10-15.
SSA national baby names, 1880–2025 (CC0 redistribution)
US Social Security Administration; redistributed by nkrishnaswami · CC0-1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
South Australia — Popular Baby Names, per-year lists including names given once, 1944-2017
Attorney-General's Department, South Australia (via data.sa.gov.au) · CC-BY-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Ontario top baby names, historical archive 1917–2013
Government of Ontario (Office of the Registrar General) · OGL-ON-1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Ontario first baby names, 1913–2023 (verified redistribution)
Government of Ontario; redistributed by helloharun · OGL-ON-1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
British Columbia — 100 Years of Popular Baby Names (first names used 5 or more times), 1926-2025
Government of British Columbia, Vital Statistics Agency · OGL-BC (Open Government License - British Columbia; version not stated on the page) · retrieved 2026-10-15
National Records of Scotland — Babies' First Names: all first forenames given to 3 or more babies, Scotland, 1974-2025
National Records of Scotland (NRS) · OGL-UK-3.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Ireland — babies' first names with three or more occurrences, 1964–2025
Central Statistics Office (CSO), Ireland · CC-BY-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Baby names in England and Wales: 2025 (boys and girls workbooks, Table 6: all published names)
Office for National Statistics (ONS) · OGL-UK-3.0 · retrieved 2026-10-14
NISRA — First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland, 1997-2025 (full list)
Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) · OGL-UK-3.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Wiktionary text: CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikidata: CC0. Commons recordings retain their individual file licences. Complete attribution is available in each group above and alongside each chart.
