| Darcy | Quinn | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | dark one; or from Arcy (place name) — two origins | Descendant of Conn; chief |
| Origin | irish | Irish |
| Gender | Unisex | Unisex |
| Pronunciation | DAR-see | KWIN |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| First appeared | 0 | 1948 |
| Peak year | 1970 (681) | 2016 (3,649) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 2,634 |
| Trend | Vintage | Rising |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Darcy | Quinn |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 1,479 | 17,572 |
| 2010s | 1,742 | 27,227 |
| 2000s | 1,341 | 4,439 |
| 1990s | 1,888 | 1,821 |
| 1980s | 3,279 | 945 |
| 1970s | 4,985 | 326 |
| 1960s | 5,588 | 163 |
| 1950s | 2,706 | 5 |
| 1940s | 362 | 5 |
| 1930s | 33 | 0 |
| 1920s | 10 | 0 |
| 1910s | 5 | 0 |
Two distinct origins: as an Irish name it anglicizes O Dorchaidhe, from 'dorcha' meaning 'dark', giving 'dark one'; as an English/Norman name it is the aristocratic d'Arcy, a locational surname meaning 'from Arcy' in Normandy, with no 'dark' sense. Both are genuine; flag which is intended.
Quinn comes from the Irish surname Ó Cuinn, “descendant of Conn,” with Conn carrying the sense of “chief” or “wisdom.”
Quinn is more popular than Darcy today: about 2,634 US babies were given the name Quinn in 2025, compared with 0 named Darcy.
Darcy means dark one; or from Arcy (place name) — two origins (irish origin), while Quinn means Descendant of Conn; chief (Irish origin).
In US records, Darcy first appears in 0 and Quinn in 1948, so Darcy has the longer recorded history.