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#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201934peak #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 1934

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedAKMaine: #66 for boys · 22 births · 1 in 285 boysMEVermont: #91 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 465 boysVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedNHWashington: #17 for boys · 110 births · 1 in 87 boysWAIdaho: #19 for boys · 41 births · 1 in 91 boysIDMontana: #27 for boys · 34 births · 1 in 115 boysMTNorth Dakota: #15 for boys · 84 births · 1 in 70 boysNDMinnesota: #24 for boys · 174 births · 1 in 115 boysMNIllinois: #49 for boys · 206 births · 1 in 247 boysILWisconsin: #26 for boys · 162 births · 1 in 142 boysWIMichigan: #26 for boys · 283 births · 1 in 132 boysMINew York: #155 for boys · 54 births · 1 in 1,547 boysNYMassachusetts: #185 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 2,838 boysMARhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedRIOregon: #22 for boys · 56 births · 1 in 96 boysORNevada: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedNVWyoming: #48 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 171 boysWYSouth Dakota: #12 for boys · 73 births · 1 in 73 boysSDIowa: #22 for boys · 193 births · 1 in 98 boysIAIndiana: #32 for boys · 138 births · 1 in 166 boysINOhio: #34 for boys · 256 births · 1 in 179 boysOHPennsylvania: #50 for boys · 241 births · 1 in 293 boysPANew Jersey: #161 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 1,709 boysNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #67 for boys · 114 births · 1 in 312 boysCAUtah: #28 for boys · 43 births · 1 in 110 boysUTColorado: #32 for boys · 53 births · 1 in 153 boysCONebraska: #15 for boys · 146 births · 1 in 74 boysNEMissouri: #43 for boys · 144 births · 1 in 191 boysMOKentucky: #187 for boys · 21 births · 1 in 1,263 boysKYWest Virginia: #64 for boys · 58 births · 1 in 308 boysWVVirginia: #254 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 2,186 boysVAMaryland: #120 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 867 boysMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedDEArizona: #99 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 380 boysAZNew Mexico: #118 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 434 boysNMKansas: #24 for boys · 125 births · 1 in 110 boysKSArkansas: #79 for boys · 53 births · 1 in 341 boysARTennessee: #191 for boys · 17 births · 1 in 1,504 boysTNNorth Carolina: #272 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 2,656 boysNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #46 for boys · 113 births · 1 in 201 boysOKLouisiana: #255 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 1,581 boysLAMississippi: #263 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 2,178 boysMSAlabama: #415 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 4,634 boysALGeorgia: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedGAHawaii: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedHITexas: #166 for boys · 69 births · 1 in 844 boysTXFlorida: #166 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 1,064 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. South Dakota#12 · 1 in 73
  2. North Dakota#15 · 1 in 70
  3. Nebraska#15 · 1 in 74
  4. Washington#17 · 1 in 87
  5. Idaho#19 · 1 in 91

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
South Dakota#12731 in 73
Nebraska#151461 in 74
North Dakota#15841 in 70
Washington#171101 in 87
Idaho#19411 in 91
Iowa#221931 in 98
Oregon#22561 in 96
Kansas#241251 in 110
Minnesota#241741 in 115
Michigan#262831 in 132
Wisconsin#261621 in 142
Montana#27341 in 115
Utah#28431 in 110
Colorado#32531 in 153
Indiana#321381 in 166
Ohio#342561 in 179
Missouri#431441 in 191
Oklahoma#461131 in 201
Wyoming#4891 in 171
Illinois#492061 in 247
Pennsylvania#502411 in 293
West Virginia#64581 in 308
Maine#66221 in 285
California#671141 in 312
Arkansas#79531 in 341
Vermont#9151 in 465
Arizona#99101 in 380
New Mexico#118111 in 434
Maryland#120131 in 867
New York#155541 in 1,547
New Jersey#161141 in 1,709
Florida#166111 in 1,064
Texas#166691 in 844
Massachusetts#185101 in 2,838
Kentucky#187211 in 1,263
Tennessee#191171 in 1,504
Virginia#254101 in 2,186
Louisiana#255121 in 1,581
Mississippi#26391 in 2,178
North Carolina#272131 in 2,656
Alabama#41561 in 4,634
Alaska———
Connecticut———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Georgia———
Hawaii———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
Rhode Island———
South Carolina———

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 1934

girls
#617
115 births · 1 in 9,080 girls
boys
#62
3,241 births · 1 in 319 boys

Top girls' names in 1934

  1. #1Mary56,929
  2. #2Betty31,089
  3. #3Barbara29,239
  4. #4Shirley22,841
  5. #5Dorothy21,281
  6. #6Patricia20,844
  7. #7Joan19,465
  8. #8Margaret15,144
  9. #9Helen14,100
  10. #10Nancy13,520
  11. #617Dale115

Top boys' names in 1934

  1. #1Robert55,843
  2. #2James54,270
  3. #3John46,743
  4. #4William40,175
  5. #5Richard33,167
  6. #6Donald30,408
  7. #7Charles29,790
  8. #8George18,500
  9. #9Thomas17,373
  10. #10Joseph17,111
  11. #62Dale3,241
More about 1934

girls

1,044,225 girls got a published name in 1934; 1 in 9,080 of them was named Dale, which outranked 87.6% of the 4,973 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.4% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Dale
  1. #612Hellen116
  2. #612Syble116
  3. #612Vida116
  4. #617Dale115
  5. #617Elisa115
  6. #617Juliette115
  7. #617Lettie115
  8. #621Dovie114
  9. #621Erna114
  10. #621Josefina114

Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1933
Risers
  1. ↑ 571Luann#1,442 → #871
  2. ↑ 469Alison#1,442 → #973
  3. ↑ 439Golda#1,364 → #925
  4. ↑ 350Ronald#1,244 → #894
  5. ↑ 346Gale#1,102 → #756
Fallers
  1. ↓ 685Nira#463 → #1,148
  2. ↓ 342Vina#782 → #1,124
  3. ↓ 316Zita#947 → #1,263
  4. ↓ 299Myrtie#834 → #1,133
  5. ↓ 278Theola#985 → #1,263

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

boys

1,032,596 boys got a published name in 1934; 1 in 319 of them was named Dale, which outranked 98.5% of the 4,205 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.3% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Dale
  1. #59Bill3,534
  2. #60Gary3,354
  3. #61Peter3,290
  4. #62Dale3,241
  5. #63Ray3,177
  6. #64Alfred3,158
  7. #65Bernard3,146
Biggest movers since 1933
Risers
  1. ↑ 746Lanny#1,361 → #615
  2. ↑ 630Kerry#1,586 → #956
  3. ↑ 620Marland#1,456 → #836
  4. ↑ 404Kirk#1,202 → #798
  5. ↑ 350Valentin#1,281 → #931
Fallers
  1. ↓ 730Neville#995 → #1,725
  2. ↓ 616Garner#770 → #1,386
  3. ↓ 520Vivian#905 → #1,425
  4. ↓ 488Finis#869 → #1,357
  5. ↓ 464Malcom#961 → #1,425

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

See the top 100 for 1934 →