Dale
Every Dale since 1881 — 300,043 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Dale
Dale is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #1,410 in 2025 with 129 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1881, 300,043 American babies have been named Dale — about 93% boys and 7% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1958, when 9,087 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Dale stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Dale year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | #15,450 | 129 | #1,410 |
| 2024 | — | — | 149 | #1,308 |
| 2023 | 5 | #15,733 | 130 | #1,408 |
| 2022 | — | — | 115 | #1,551 |
| 2021 | 9 | #10,477 | 130 | #1,409 |
| 2020 | — | — | 131 | #1,356 |
| 2019 | — | — | 118 | #1,468 |
| 2018 | 5 | #16,254 | 127 | #1,388 |
| 2017 | 5 | #16,450 | 150 | #1,223 |
| 2016 | 8 | #12,043 | 173 | #1,124 |
| 2015 | — | — | 177 | #1,096 |
| 2014 | 5 | #17,179 | 181 | #1,072 |
| 2013 | 11 | #9,753 | 146 | #1,229 |
| 2012 | — | — | 165 | #1,116 |
| 2011 | — | — | 166 | #1,110 |
| 2010 | 5 | #17,640 | 190 | #1,021 |
| 2009 | — | — | 225 | #921 |
| 2008 | 10 | #10,997 | 261 | #836 |
| 2007 | 8 | #12,959 | 284 | #772 |
| 2006 | 7 | #13,936 | 290 | #735 |
| 2005 | 10 | #10,315 | 323 | #662 |
| 2004 | 9 | #10,896 | 353 | #608 |
| 2003 | 14 | #7,688 | 408 | #550 |
| 2002 | 13 | #7,933 | 466 | #496 |
| 2001 | 22 | #5,232 | 612 | #410 |
| 2000 | 12 | #8,157 | 407 | #536 |
| 1995 | 25 | #4,121 | 570 | #401 |
| 1990 | 37 | #3,030 | 907 | #285 |
| 1985 | 41 | #2,408 | 1,093 | #219 |
| 1980 | 55 | #1,943 | 1,237 | #198 |
| 1975 | 61 | #1,607 | 1,528 | #159 |
| 1970 | 170 | #813 | 3,003 | #110 |
| 1965 | 258 | #603 | 4,397 | #83 |
| 1960 | 534 | #418 | 7,677 | #54 |
| 1955 | 1,001 | #271 | 7,182 | #52 |
| 1950 | 844 | #263 | 6,785 | #49 |
| 1945 | 487 | #309 | 3,957 | #61 |
| 1940 | 303 | #382 | 3,699 | #57 |
| 1935 | 153 | #519 | 3,274 | #61 |
| 1930 | 97 | #700 | 2,994 | #64 |
| 1925 | 84 | #807 | 2,302 | #86 |
| 1920 | 65 | #906 | 1,680 | #105 |
| 1915 | 53 | #905 | 1,081 | #125 |
| 1910 | 24 | #879 | 125 | #205 |
| 1905 | 11 | #1,179 | 65 | #242 |
| 1900 | 16 | #946 | 54 | #282 |
| 1895 | 11 | #998 | 26 | #371 |
| 1890 | 5 | #1,378 | 14 | #516 |
| 1885 | — | — | 25 | #347 |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Dale
- Dale Carnegie Writer · 1888–1955
- Dale T. Mortensen Economist · 1939–2014
- Dale Chihuly Sculptor · b. 1941
- Dale Crover Musician · b. 1967
- Dale Robertson Actor · 1923–2013
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Dale in 2025?
Dale ranked #1,410 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 129 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Dale?
300,043 babies have been named Dale in the United States since 1881, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Dale most popular?
Dale peaked in 1958, when 9,087 newborns received the name.
Is Dale a boy or girl name?
Dale is used for both: about 7% of babies named Dale have been girls and 93% boys.
Is the name Dale rising or falling?
Dale has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Dale?
Well-known people named Dale include Dale Carnegie (writer), Dale T. Mortensen (economist), Dale Chihuly (sculptor).