Darnell is an English surname of uncertain origin, usually traced to the village of Darnall in Yorkshire, meaning "hidden nook", or to darnel, a wild grass. It became a popular first name in African-American families in the second half of the 20th century. Darnell ranked number 659 in 2000, left the top 1000 in the following years and stands at number 2423 in 2025.