Darel is a spelling of Darrell, an English surname brought over by the Normans from the village of Airelle in Calvados, so it means "from Airelle". The name was at its most popular in the United States in the mid-20th century, when Darrell and Daryl were everyday names. Darel itself was rare at number 6955 in 2000 and jumped from number 6254 in 2024 to number 2542 in 2025, its best rank on record.