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Darla as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Darla

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The baby name Darla is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced DAR-luh (IPA: /ˈdɑːrlə/ or /ˈdɑrlə/).

Darla is English in Origin.

Gender: Female
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: English
Pronunciation: DAR-luh (IPA: /ˈdɑːrlə/ or /ˈdɑrlə/)

What is the meaning of the name Darla ?

The baby name Darla is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced DAR-luh (IPA: /ˈdɑːrlə/ or /ˈdɑrlə/).

Darla is English in Origin.

Darla is an English feminine name formed as a short form of Darlene and as a direct affectionate diminutive of “darling,” from Old English deorling (dear + -ling). It conveys the meanings “beloved,” “dear one,” and “cherished,” giving the name a warm, endearing tone.

Use of Darla took hold in the United States in the early 20th century and rose sharply mid-century, boosted by child actress Darla Hood of the Our Gang/The Little Rascals films. It peaked in popularity during the 1960s, then declined while remaining familiar and vintage-leaning today. Related forms and spellings include Darlene (the source name), Darleen, Darline, Darlyn/Darlyne, and the elaboration Darlaine; nicknames such as Darl and Darlie also appear. Predominantly used in English-speaking countries, Darla is simple to pronounce internationally and is often chosen for its affectionate meaning and mid-century charm.

Darla has the following similar or variant Names

Darla – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Girls 2025 #1 874
MO 0 #52 1 2,706
AL 0 #75 2 2,372
CN 0 #86 1 3,857
KZ 0 #94 1 1,452
EC 0 #119 3 2,502
RS Girls 0 #137 1 1,651
BW Girls 0 #151 1 4,216
CR 0 #161 5 5,526
PR Girls 0 #167 1 3,171
UY 0 #182 1 2,477
AE 0 #187 1 10,220
LU Girls 0 #190 1 4,850
RU 0 #194 1 3,641
AO Girls 0 #216 2 4,575
AL Girls 0 #221 7 4,141
EC Girls 0 #223 17 3,650
BG Girls 0 #231 1 3,559
JP Girls 0 #250 2 6,592
Canada Girls 2024 #270 16 2,795
JM Girls 0 #278 1 7,507
IL 0 #282 1 6,291
TW Girls 0 #288 2 8,139
SA 0 #312 1 10,560
PE 0 #328 2 6,350
GT 0 #337 2 5,948
JO Girls 0 #339 1 7,570
QA Girls 0 #340 4 15,378
BR 0 #358 3 5,969
CN Girls 0 #359 1 8,829
MU Girls 0 #360 3 8,539
PL Girls 0 #362 3 5,096
PH Girls 0 #379 12 13,098
France Girls 2021 #402 4 3,185
BO 0 #403 6 6,868
BD Girls 0 #406 1 8,413
EG 0 #412 1 6,387
CL 0 #432 3 6,867
MX 0 #445 1 8,339
SD Boys 0 #466 1 10,523
PA Girls 0 #467 15 9,861
PT Girls 0 #471 1 7,952
GT Girls 0 #487 19 7,500
CR Girls 0 #501 32 11,342
RU Girls 0 #516 8 11,913
IQ Girls 0 #525 1 11,303
PS Girls 0 #541 7 10,981
CM Girls 0 #554 7 11,671
KW Girls 0 #557 5 19,177
BO Girls 0 #572 40 9,488
CM Boys 0 #575 1 12,054
AE Girls 0 #594 4 20,968
BO Boys 0 #622 1 9,244
AR Girls 0 #626 5 8,289
SG Girls 0 #626 7 18,916
IL Girls 0 #645 1 11,648
IN Girls 0 #652 3 13,121
United States Girls 2024 #674 244 8,487
IQ Boys 0 #696 2 13,071
BR Boys 0 #740 12 12,213
KW Boys 0 #760 10 18,755
SY 0 #767 1 11,684
CL Girls 0 #800 52 14,098
NG Girls 0 #820 7 15,093
TN 0 #865 1 13,765
BR Girls 0 #879 63 12,708
PE Girls 0 #892 52 14,861
NG Boys 0 #1,001 1 16,906
EG Girls 0 #1,004 6 14,742
SA Girls 0 #1,010 5 25,931
MX Girls 0 #1,020 164 17,781
MX Boys 0 #1,029 5 16,355
IN Boys 0 #1,036 4 16,750
CO Girls 0 #1,053 26 16,140
MY Girls 0 #1,067 6 24,821
AE Boys 0 #1,140 4 22,615
MA 0 #1,198 2 20,986
DZ 0 #1,234 1 20,130
ZA Girls 0 #1,234 3 25,928
TR 0 #1,253 2 19,440
IT Girls 0 #1,433 14 9,415
SA Boys 0 #1,688 4 28,008

Darla is popular in 56 countries — most recent births per country:

Canada
United States
France
Ireland
Scotland, United Kingdom

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People also ask about Darla

Darla is predominantly a girl's name.
Darla is a 2 syllable name, pronounced DAR-luh (IPA: /ˈdɑːrlə/ or /ˈdɑrlə/).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Darlene, Darleen, Darline, Darlina, Darly and Darlie.
Across languages, Darla has these equivalents: Amanda (Latin/English — 'worthy of love, lovable'), Amada (Spanish/Portuguese — 'beloved'), Aimée/Aimee (French — 'beloved'), Carina (Italian/Latin — 'beloved, dear'), Carys (Welsh — 'love'), and 1 more.
Yes, very popular — Darla ranked #1 in Ireland in 2025, and appears in official birth registries across 5 countries.
Darla ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2025).
Darla's popularity is rising significantly. It moved from #306 in 2015 to #270 in 2024 in Canada.