Dallas
Dallas was the 238th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 1,475 babies. Its best year was 1995, when it ranked 214th; the most babies were born in 2025 (1,475). Over the last ten years it has moved up 17 places. More babies were named Dallas in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning Origin uncertain · Scottish, Brythonic, English
Say it DAL-uhs /ˈdæləs/
- Rank in 2025
- #238 boys, up 31 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 1,475boys
- Girls and boys
- 25% girls, 75% boys2021–2025
- Peak year
- 20251,475 babies
- Total since 1880
- 87,085babies recorded
What does the name Dallas mean?
Dallas has two separate sources. Wikipedia and Wiktionary trace the Scottish surname to the village of Dallas near Forres in Moray, a name probably from British words for 'meadow' and 'dwelling'. An English surname Dallas comes from a phrase meaning someone who lived at the house in the dale. The Texas city was named after George M. Dallas, vice president under James Polk, and many American parents choose the name for the city.
dôl (Welsh (British), “meadow”)gwas (Welsh (British), “dwelling”)
How sure is this? Uncertain. Two surname origins (Scottish place name; English 'dale house'); the city name adds a third association.
Related names: Dalles.
See also: Scottish names, names from places.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Dallas', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Wikipedia, 'Dallas (name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Dallas popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #687 | #238 | 413 | 1,475 |
| 2020 | #632 | #269 | 459 | 1,267 |
| 2010 | #1,117 | #319 | 221 | 1,004 |
| 2000 | #902 | #309 | 243 | 944 |
| 1990 | #1,470 | #392 | 106 | 591 |
| 1980 | #1,152 | #298 | 117 | 680 |
| 1970 | #1,438 | #430 | 72 | 357 |
| 1960 | #1,700 | #429 | 44 | 351 |
| 1950 | #2,064 | #331 | 22 | 414 |
| 1940 | #1,701 | #247 | 22 | 485 |
| 1930 | #1,237 | #291 | 37 | 382 |
| 1920 | #1,449 | #306 | 31 | 350 |
| 1910 | #978 | #322 | 20 | 59 |
| 1900 | #1,343 | #344 | 9 | 40 |
| 1890 | — | #304 | — | 32 |
| 1880 | — | #383 | — | 20 |
How popular is Dallas, counting every spelling?
Dallas has no other common spelling that sounds the same. Counting every name's spellings together, it ranks #255 for boys in 2025, against #238 on the official list, because Kayson/Kaison/Kaysen and Eric/Erick/Erik and Zayn/Zayne/Zain move ahead once their spellings are combined.
How many kids will share the name Dallas?
1,475 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Dallas (0.41 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Dallas 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 6 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Dallas.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Dallas?
About 54,900 people born in the US named Dallas are alive today, with a median age of 25; half are between 11 and 41. That makes Dallas mostly worn by children and young adults.
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.
Dallas by state
How common Dallas was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Mississippi (4.2×), Alabama (3.5×), Georgia (2.6×), Kentucky (2.5×), Louisiana (2.4×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in New Jersey, New Mexico, Massachusetts.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Dallas: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Dallas, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Dallas · Sibling names for Dallas
Questions about the name Dallas
What does Dallas mean?
The origin of Dallas is uncertain: two surname origins (Scottish place name; English 'dale house'); the city name adds a third association.
How popular is the name Dallas?
Dallas was the 238th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 1,475 babies. Its best year was 1995, when it ranked 214th; the most babies were born in 2025 (1,475). Over the last ten years it has moved up 17 places. More babies were named Dallas in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Dallas a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, 25% girls, 75% boys given the name Dallas in the US.
Where is Dallas most popular?
In 2021–2025, Dallas was most common in Mississippi (3.38 per 1,000 boys), followed by Alabama and Georgia.