Dale

#14,942 for girls in 2025, 5 births · #1,409 for boys in 2025, 129 births
Given to boys 92.7% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
1958 · 8,502 births
Debut · boys
6 births
In top 100 · boys
49 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · boys
278,156
since 1881

Dale over time

girlsboys

Rank within each sex, plotted together. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201920peak #236, 1952peak #46, 1958girlsboys
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#14,9425#1,409129
2024—#1,308149
2023#15,1945#1,408130
2022—#1,551115
2021#10,2929#1,407130
2020—#1,353131
2019—#1,468118
2018#15,6825#1,385127
2017#15,9025#1,219150
2016#11,7818#1,124173
2015—#1,096177
2014#16,5135#1,070181
2013#9,61211#1,229146
2012—#1,115165
2011—#1,108166
2010#16,9925#1,019190
2009—#920225
2008#10,80710#836261
2007#12,6768#772284
2006#13,6067#735290
2005#10,12810#662323
2004#10,6909#607353
2003#7,58014#550408
2002#7,81613#496466
2001#5,17422#410612
2000#8,02712#536407
1999#8,80510#495442
1998#4,79622#466483
1997#5,41718#446503
1996#4,88320#412555
1995#4,09925#401570
1994#2,87741#365650
1993#3,77628#370641
1992#3,09137#341703
1991#3,81727#330759
1990#3,02237#285907
1989#3,16533#288855
1988#3,16531#267883
1987#2,61238#248931
1986#2,34443#237980
1985#2,39841#2191,093
1984#2,22744#2201,032
1983#1,99351#2121,096
1982#1,99152#2151,132
1981#2,11948#1971,248
1980#1,93655#1981,237
1979#2,14746#1881,274
1978#1,66963#1761,323
1977#1,97649#1761,360
1976#1,37378#1611,480
1975#1,60461#1591,528
1974#1,43870#1451,688
1973#1,33975#1411,802
1972#1,13397#1312,062
1971#919141#1252,545
1970#813170#1103,003
1969#739188#963,154
1968#826151#913,257
1967#761167#893,537
1966#648220#853,985
1965#602258#834,397
1964#556317#725,158
1963#510367#695,700
1962#497379#626,365
1961#462448#587,193
1960#418534#547,677
1959#411529#498,343
1958#381585#468,502
1957#353665#507,866
1956#308834#507,720
1955#2711,001#527,182
1954#2471,095#507,439
1953#2501,053#487,350
1952#2361,108#467,417
1951#250927#496,963
1950#263844#496,785
1949#257875#546,229
1948#258855#566,091
1947#267817#635,936
1946#287662#625,024
1945#309487#613,957
1944#330432#613,990
1943#335445#594,235
1942#357386#633,863
1941#378324#593,791
1940#382303#573,699
1939#401280#593,531
1938#466209#563,690
1937#485182#593,340
1936#457196#593,393
1935#519153#613,274
1934#617115#623,241
1933#82665#652,925
1932#73484#613,140
1931#77775#623,008
1930#69997#642,994
1929#85569#732,664
1928#77386#752,640
1927#76689#812,503
1926#82479#842,398
1925#80684#862,302
1924#74798#842,396
1923#78686#902,172
1922#93962#892,041
1921#86273#931,956
1920#90365#1051,680
1919#82373#1121,428
1918#84373#1111,491
1917#91657#1201,248
1916#89357#1211,161
1915#90053#1251,081
1914#1,03433#142691
1913#1,02028#155472
1912#84635#159371
1911#83826#203150
1910#87724#205125
1909#1,15213#207102
1908#97017#203100
1907#1,28910#24273
1906#1,3219#24066
1905#1,16211#24165
1904#1,05012#26053
1903#1,4407#24856
1902#93614#22663
1901#1,1369#27240
1900#94116#28154
1899#1,03410#26641
1898#1,3797#28840
1897#1,03710#28839
1896#1,2927#31236
1895#98611#36826
1894#99810#33628
1893#1,1757#43518
1892#1,0858#40422
1891#1,3325#42717
1890#1,3385#51114
1889—#41519
1888#1,1366#50515
1887#9377#54411
1886—#43117
1885—#34425
1884—#61310
1883—#55611
1882—#7547
1881—#7816
1880——
First appearance
1881

The first year at least five boys were named Dale! It came in at #781, and was given to 6 baby boys.


Quietest stretch: 1881–1882, when fewer than 8 boys a year got the name.

Where Dale is popular in 1920

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedNHWashington: #62 for boys · 35 births · 1 in 279 boysWAIdaho: #32 for boys · 31 births · 1 in 130 boysIDMontana: #66 for boys · 17 births · 1 in 282 boysMTNorth Dakota: #95 for boys · 16 births · 1 in 413 boysNDMinnesota: #86 for boys · 49 births · 1 in 430 boysMNIllinois: #74 for boys · 140 births · 1 in 381 boysILWisconsin: #93 for boys · 52 births · 1 in 436 boysWIMichigan: #66 for boys · 97 births · 1 in 348 boysMINew York: #362 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 6,955 boysNYMassachusetts: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedMARhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedRIOregon: #43 for boys · 33 births · 1 in 170 boysORNevada: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedNVWyoming: #69 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 268 boysWYSouth Dakota: #37 for boys · 48 births · 1 in 130 boysSDIowa: #27 for boys · 178 births · 1 in 117 boysIAIndiana: #39 for boys · 130 births · 1 in 184 boysINOhio: #63 for boys · 156 births · 1 in 316 boysOHPennsylvania: #112 for boys · 90 births · 1 in 943 boysPANew Jersey: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #121 for boys · 34 births · 1 in 765 boysCAUtah: #30 for boys · 37 births · 1 in 126 boysUTColorado: #56 for boys · 33 births · 1 in 248 boysCONebraska: #18 for boys · 134 births · 1 in 89 boysNEMissouri: #111 for boys · 46 births · 1 in 606 boysMOKentucky: #276 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 2,264 boysKYWest Virginia: #108 for boys · 25 births · 1 in 608 boysWVVirginia: #362 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 3,991 boysVAMaryland: #205 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 2,155 boysMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedDEArizona: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedNMKansas: #34 for boys · 117 births · 1 in 136 boysKSArkansas: #109 for boys · 33 births · 1 in 530 boysARTennessee: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedTNNorth Carolina: #307 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 2,985 boysNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #108 for boys · 42 births · 1 in 517 boysOKLouisiana: #314 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 2,334 boysLAMississippi: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedMSAlabama: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedALGeorgia: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedGAHawaii: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedHITexas: #372 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 2,822 boysTXFlorida: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Nebraska#18 · 1 in 89
  2. Iowa#27 · 1 in 117
  3. Utah#30 · 1 in 126
  4. Idaho#32 · 1 in 130
  5. Kansas#34 · 1 in 136

Best ever in a state: #11 in Idaho, 1927.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Nebraska#181341 in 89
Iowa#271781 in 117
Utah#30371 in 126
Idaho#32311 in 130
Kansas#341171 in 136
South Dakota#37481 in 130
Indiana#391301 in 184
Oregon#43331 in 170
Colorado#56331 in 248
Washington#62351 in 279
Ohio#631561 in 316
Michigan#66971 in 348
Montana#66171 in 282
Wyoming#6961 in 268
Illinois#741401 in 381
Minnesota#86491 in 430
Wisconsin#93521 in 436
North Dakota#95161 in 413
Oklahoma#108421 in 517
West Virginia#108251 in 608
Arkansas#109331 in 530
Missouri#111461 in 606
Pennsylvania#112901 in 943
California#121341 in 765
Maryland#20561 in 2,155
Kentucky#276111 in 2,264
North Carolina#307111 in 2,985
Louisiana#31481 in 2,334
New York#362131 in 6,955
Virginia#36261 in 3,991
Texas#372181 in 2,822
Alabama———
Alaska———
Arizona———
Connecticut———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Florida———
Georgia———
Hawaii———
Maine———
Massachusetts———
Mississippi———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Jersey———
New Mexico———
Rhode Island———
South Carolina———
Tennessee———
Vermont———

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Dale
Momentum · boys
Holding steady
  • 101 spots since 2024 (#1,308 → #1,409)
  • 56 spots since 2020 (#1,353 → #1,409)
  • 313 spots since 2015 (#1,096 → #1,409)
  • Biggest jump: 269 spots in 1885 (#613 → #344)
  • Biggest drop: 113 spots in 1887 (#431 → #544)
Rise & fade · boys
77 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1881
  • Peaked 1958 at #46 (8,502 births)
  • Births halved by 1966, 8 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 100 for 49 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 49 yrs · run 1921–1969
  • Top 1,000: 129 yrs · run 1881–2009
Share of babies · boys
1 in 250
  • Highest: 1 in 250 boys born in 1958 were named Dale (0.40%)
  • Latest: 1 in 13,241 boys born in 2025 (0.01%)
Era · boys
The 1950s
  • 27.2% of all boys named Dale (75,567) were born in this decade
Girls or boys?
Never flipped
  • The majority has never changed
all girlsall boys
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s121#344 (1885)#549
1890s281#266 (1899)#364
1900s672#203 (1908)#242
1910s8,218#111 (1918)#145
1920s22,752#73 (1929)#86
1930s32,536#56 (1938)#61
1940s46,815#54 (1949)#60
1950s75,567#46 (1958)#49
1960s50,423#54 (1960)#76
1970s18,065#110 (1970)#151
1980s10,487#197 (1981)#230
1990s6,213#285 (1990)#391
2000s3,629#410 (2001)#652
2010s1,593#1,019 (2010)#1,183
2020s784#1,308 (2024)#1,406

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Dale in 1920

girls
#903
65 births · 1 in 18,435 girls
boys
#105
1,680 births · 1 in 634 boys

Top girls' names in 1920

  1. #1Mary70,983
  2. #2Dorothy36,643
  3. #3Helen35,097
  4. #4Margaret27,994
  5. #5Ruth26,102
  6. #6Mildred18,060
  7. #7Virginia17,314
  8. #8Elizabeth15,908
  9. #9Frances15,883
  10. #10Anna14,581
  11. #903Dale65

Top boys' names in 1920

  1. #1John56,913
  2. #2William50,146
  3. #3Robert48,679
  4. #4James47,908
  5. #5Charles28,309
  6. #6George26,891
  7. #7Joseph25,587
  8. #8Edward20,097
  9. #9Frank16,430
  10. #10Richard15,010
  11. #105Dale1,680
More about 1920

girls

1,198,289 girls got a published name in 1920; 1 in 18,435 of them was named Dale, which outranked 84.3% of the 5,767 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.2% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Dale
  1. #894Kathlyn66
  2. #894Marybelle66
  3. #894Willia66
  4. #903Dale65
  5. #903Aldona65
  6. #903Augustine65
  7. #903Carlene65
  8. #908Arthur64
  9. #908Edward64
  10. #908Hildegarde64

Tied with 4 names at #903; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1919
Risers
  1. ↑ 550Denise#1,481 → #931
  2. ↑ 321Blossom#1,242 → #921
  3. ↑ 311Lilia#1,242 → #931
  4. ↑ 302Ena#1,270 → #968
  5. ↑ 277Lorayne#1,216 → #939
Fallers
  1. ↓ 594Haruko#917 → #1,511
  2. ↓ 511Roselle#1,000 → #1,511
  3. ↓ 345Toshiko#967 → #1,312
  4. ↓ 304Carroll#902 → #1,206
  5. ↓ 297Santina#835 → #1,132

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,064,356 boys got a published name in 1920; 1 in 634 of them was named Dale, which outranked 97.9% of the 4,989 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 31.6% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Dale
  1. #102Maurice1,708
  2. #103Roger1,691
  3. #104Eddie1,681
  4. #105Dale1,680
  5. #106Douglas1,657
  6. #107Sidney1,610
  7. #108Morris1,609
Biggest movers since 1919
Risers
  1. ↑ 960Harding#1,351 → #391
  2. ↑ 607Cameron#1,351 → #744
  3. ↑ 566Hardin#1,531 → #965
  4. ↑ 392Laurel#1,321 → #929
  5. ↑ 368Terrence#1,297 → #929
Fallers
  1. ↓ 789Pershing#593 → #1,382
  2. ↓ 580Woodroe#877 → #1,457
  3. ↓ 385Quinten#867 → #1,252
  4. ↓ 383Orvel#890 → #1,273
  5. ↓ 373Rexford#927 → #1,300

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1920 →