Darla

Meaning of Darla

Darla began life as a pet-name derived from “darling,” but, like a shy ragazza who suddenly steals the spotlight in a village piazza, she soon stepped out on her own. The name floated across the Atlantic with a lilt as soft as mandolin strings, and by the 1930s little Darla Hood of “The Little Rascals” wrapped it in cinematic charm. Its meaning—“beloved one”—carries the warmth of a Nonna’s hug, while the crisp two-syllable rhythm feels as brisk as an espresso shot at dawn. Statistically, Darla’s popularity in the United States swelled like a summer tide in the 1950s, crested around 1964, and has since settled into a gentle, boutique current—roughly 244 newborns answered to it in 2024. Parents who choose Darla today often savor its retro sweetness, its whisper of Hollywood nostalgia, and the playful wink to Pixar’s fish-tank troublemaker in Finding Nemo; they know they’re selecting a name that is neither overcooked nor under-seasoned, but al dente—tender, timeless, and ready to be loved.