Home › Baby Names Directory › Derrel

Derrel

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Derrel

Pronounced DEHR-uhl /ˈdɛrəl/High

Meaning: Derrel is a respelled form of Darrell, which began as an English surname taken from the Norman French place name Airelle in Calvados. Carried to England after the Conquest as d'Airelle, it hardened into a family name and, in the American twentieth century, into a given name. The Derrel spelling is one of several phonetic variants (Darrell, Darryl, Derryl) that spread once the sound outran any fixed spelling.Low

In 30 seconds: Derrel is a mid-century respelling of Darrell, an English surname from a Norman place name, given quietly to American boys and said DEHR-uhl.

💕 Browse more names

Origin MediumEnglish, Norman French

MeaningDerrel is a respelled form of Darrell, which began as an English surname taken from the Norman French place name Airelle in Calvados. Carried to England after the Conquest as d'Airelle, it hardened into a family name and, in the American twentieth century, into a given name. The Derrel spelling is one of several phonetic variants (Darrell, Darryl, Derryl) that spread once the sound outran any fixed spelling.

U.S. rank (2017)#12749 ↘ Falling

2017 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1988

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,181

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Derrel traces back to Darrell, a surname from the Norman French place name Airelle, brought to England after 1066 and much later revived as a given name in America. The doubled sound invited many spellings, and Derrel is one parents reached for by ear.

In United States records Derrel stayed a genuine rarity, given to only a couple dozen boys a year even at its mid-century high before fading. A boy named Derrel then would sit in a grandfather's generation now, and the spelling reads as a distinctly American reworking of a very old surname.

Did you know? Derrel is one of a whole cluster of sound-alike spellings, including Darrell, Darryl and Derryl, that a single spoken name splintered into over the twentieth century.

Overall data confidence 55%

References - Derrel — Variant of Darrell; Norman place name Airelle

Variations

DarrellDarrylDerrylDerrell

Nicknames

DerryRel

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Derrel…

Darrell— the standard spelling Derrel varies

Terrell— another surname-name for boys of the era

Jerrell— a like-sounding mid-century boy's name

Maurice— a similar vintage boy's name from the same decades

Explore names like Derrel

By themeenglish vintage surname-name variant

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Derrel mean?

It is a spelling variant of Darrell, an English surname from the Norman place name Airelle, later used as a first name.

How do you pronounce Derrel?

It is said DEHR-uhl, two syllables with the stress on the first.

Is Derrel a boy or girl name?

Derrel is used as a boy's name.

Is Derrel a popular name?

No, Derrel was always rare, a mid-century spelling variant of Darrell that saw only light use before fading.