Dog name guide

Darlene

The meaning, background and naming story of Darlene.

Letters
7
Syllables
2Dictionary reading
Starts with
D

Meaning and background

The story behind Darlene

Darlene is an English-language given name shaped from the affectionate word darling and the name ending -lene. Although it sounds like an older traditional name, its recorded use as a personal name is comparatively modern. With a clear two-beat rhythm and an unmistakable opening D, it can be said distinctly without losing its soft finish.

Origin
English; formed from darling with the feminine name suffix -lene Source
Meaning
Derived from darling, an affectionate term for a loved or favoured person Source

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Everyday moments

“Darlene, come here!”

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About Darlene

Recorded as a dog’s name

Darlene appears in 3 dog licence records in the 2022 New York City dataset.

How to read this count

These records cover New York City and may count the same dog in more than one licence period. They are not a national popularity ranking.

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Pronunciation and rhythm

/dɑɹlin/

US English sound sequence, converted from the CMU dictionary. Stress marks are shown separately.

Stress on the first syllable in the recorded US readings.

View dictionary notation

/dɑɹlin/ · primary stress on syllable 1
D AA1 R L IY2 N

These are US dictionary readings. Personal, regional and other language pronunciations may differ.

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Sources and research notes (2)
  • New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene NYC Dog Licensing Dataset — all seven available extract years, retrieved 24 October 2026 — Recorded name spellings in NYC licence-period rows, extract years 2016–2018, 2022–2024 and 2026. Evidence selects one stated year per name. Annual snapshots overlap; never sum them as unique dogs. No national popularity, etymology or owner naming-intent claim.
  • Carnegie Mellon University / CMU Sphinx maintainers CMU US English Pronouncing Dictionary — US English dictionary readings; not owner-specific or exhaustive multilingual pronunciation

References support the individual facts shown. A source link does not mean the entire profile has been verified.

More names to consider

Suggestions by sound, written form or existing editorial selections. Similarity does not imply a shared origin.

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