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At a Glance: Name: Darlene – Meaning: derived from 'darling' (dearly loved), coined with a name-suffix as in Charlene/Marlene – Origin: English (modern coinage) – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: dar-LEEN
Darlene (pronounced dar-LEEN) is an English name coined in the modern era, built from 'darling' with the same suffix pattern found in Charlene and Marlene. That gives it a straightforward, dearly-loved meaning baked right into the sound of the name. If you're drawn to names with a clear, warm origin rather than an ancient or borrowed one, Darlene fits that bill.
Meaning & Origin of Darlene
Meaning: Derived from 'darling' (dearly loved), coined with a name-suffix as in charlene/marlene.
Origin: English (modern coinage).
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Darlene
Phonetic: dar-LEEN IPA: /dɑːrˈliːn/
Popularity of Darlene
Darlene peaked at #49 in 1958, when 8,279 baby girls were given the name, but by 2024 it had fallen to #1802 with just 111 babies — a name that was solidly mainstream in the late 1950s and is now rarely used.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1896–2024.
Make Darlene Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Darlene, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Darlene mean?
Derived from ‘darling’ (dearly loved), coined with a name-suffix as in charlene/marlene. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Darlene)
How do you pronounce Darlene?
Darlene is pronounced dar-LEEN (IPA: /dɑːrˈliːn/).
Is Darlene a popular name right now?
Darlene peaked at #49 in 1958 and is ranked #1802 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1896–2024.)
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