Dale
Dale was the 1410th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 129 babies. Its best year was 1952, when it ranked 46th; the most babies were born in 1958 (8,502). Over the last ten years it has moved down 314 places. More babies were named Dale in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Meaning valley · English, Old English
Say it DAYL /deɪl/
- Rank in 2025
- #1,410 boys, down 54 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 129boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 19588,502 babies
- Total since 1880
- 300,043babies recorded
What does the name Dale mean?
Dale is an English surname for someone who lived in a valley, from Old English dæl 'valley, dale', a word cognate with German Tal. Wiktionary lists it as a unisex given name transferred from the surname. It was popular for boys in the US in the 1930s to 1950s and also used for girls; Dale Carnegie and Dale Earnhardt are well-known bearers.
dæl (Old English, “valley”)
How sure is this? Well established.
See also: English names, names that mean meadow, hill or valley.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Dale', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Wiktionary, entry 'dale' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
Dale popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 21,887 since 1887, 5 in 2025.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,410 | 129 |
| 2020 | #1,356 | 131 |
| 2010 | #1,021 | 190 |
| 2000 | #536 | 407 |
| 1990 | #285 | 907 |
| 1980 | #198 | 1,237 |
| 1970 | #110 | 3,003 |
| 1960 | #54 | 7,677 |
| 1950 | #49 | 6,785 |
| 1940 | #57 | 3,699 |
| 1930 | #64 | 2,994 |
| 1920 | #105 | 1,680 |
| 1910 | #205 | 125 |
| 1900 | #282 | 54 |
| 1890 | #516 | 14 |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Dale, counting every spelling?
Dale has no other common spelling that sounds the same. Counting every name's spellings together, it ranks #1,344 for boys in 2025, against #1,410 on the official list.
How many kids will share the name Dale?
129 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Dale (0.04 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Dale born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 65 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Dale.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Dale?
About 153,100 people born in the US named Dale are alive today, with a median age of 66; half are between 57 and 73. That makes Dale a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Dale by state
How common Dale was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Michigan (2.7×), Ohio (1.9×). In 30 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Dale: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Dale, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Dale · Sibling names for Dale
Questions about the name Dale
What does Dale mean?
Dale means “valley” (English, Old English origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Dale?
Dale was the 1410th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 129 babies. Its best year was 1952, when it ranked 46th; the most babies were born in 1958 (8,502). Over the last ten years it has moved down 314 places. More babies were named Dale in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Is Dale a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Dale in the US.
Where is Dale most popular?
In 2021–2025, Dale was most common in Michigan (0.20 per 1,000 boys), followed by Ohio and Utah.