Darnell as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Darnell

What is the meaning of the name Darnell ?

The baby name Darnell is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced DAR-nell (IPA: /dɑrˈnɛl/).

Darnell is English in Origin.

Darnell is an English surname–turned–given name with layered roots. It may derive from Middle English darnel (via Old French), the ryegrass once linked with intoxication; or from the locative surname Darnall, built on Old English derne “hidden” + halh “nook,” yielding “hidden corner.” The surname is attested in medieval records across Yorkshire and the Midlands.

As a first name, Darnell rose in the United States during the mid–20th century, especially in African-American communities, and peaked in the 1970s–80s with visibility from athletes and entertainers. Predominantly masculine yet occasionally unisex, it appears as Darnel, Darnelle (often feminine), Darnall, and Darnal. Meanings are read as either “darnel (ryegrass)” or “from the hidden nook,” suiting both earthy and quietly enigmatic styles.