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#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201941peak #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 1941

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedAKMaine: #47 for boys · 32 births · 1 in 213 boysMEVermont: #63 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 293 boysVTNew Hampshire: #66 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 397 boysNHWashington: #27 for boys · 100 births · 1 in 137 boysWAIdaho: #18 for boys · 59 births · 1 in 81 boysIDMontana: #27 for boys · 36 births · 1 in 132 boysMTNorth Dakota: #23 for boys · 57 births · 1 in 99 boysNDMinnesota: #23 for boys · 233 births · 1 in 106 boysMNIllinois: #40 for boys · 277 births · 1 in 231 boysILWisconsin: #28 for boys · 212 births · 1 in 125 boysWIMichigan: #32 for boys · 312 births · 1 in 160 boysMINew York: #106 for boys · 119 births · 1 in 844 boysNYMassachusetts: #164 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 2,380 boysMARhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedRIOregon: #26 for boys · 63 births · 1 in 133 boysORNevada: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedNVWyoming: #42 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 175 boysWYSouth Dakota: #17 for boys · 64 births · 1 in 80 boysSDIowa: #22 for boys · 165 births · 1 in 131 boysIAIndiana: #34 for boys · 162 births · 1 in 186 boysINOhio: #32 for boys · 323 births · 1 in 184 boysOHPennsylvania: #52 for boys · 290 births · 1 in 279 boysPANew Jersey: #122 for boys · 26 births · 1 in 1,167 boysNJConnecticut: #177 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 2,162 boysCTCalifornia: #60 for boys · 205 births · 1 in 286 boysCAUtah: #37 for boys · 38 births · 1 in 153 boysUTColorado: #47 for boys · 42 births · 1 in 232 boysCONebraska: #21 for boys · 91 births · 1 in 110 boysNEMissouri: #43 for boys · 144 births · 1 in 215 boysMOKentucky: #129 for boys · 38 births · 1 in 749 boysKYWest Virginia: #69 for boys · 58 births · 1 in 342 boysWVVirginia: #137 for boys · 32 births · 1 in 804 boysVAMaryland: #89 for boys · 31 births · 1 in 490 boysMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedDEArizona: #116 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 470 boysAZNew Mexico: #163 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 753 boysNMKansas: #28 for boys · 93 births · 1 in 146 boysKSArkansas: #72 for boys · 59 births · 1 in 335 boysARTennessee: #162 for boys · 27 births · 1 in 1,097 boysTNNorth Carolina: #240 for boys · 21 births · 1 in 1,843 boysNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: #141 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 1,071 boysDCOklahoma: #46 for boys · 100 births · 1 in 217 boysOKLouisiana: #141 for boys · 32 births · 1 in 761 boysLAMississippi: #233 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 1,843 boysMSAlabama: #226 for boys · 16 births · 1 in 1,839 boysALGeorgia: #215 for boys · 19 births · 1 in 1,706 boysGAHawaii: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedHITexas: #140 for boys · 96 births · 1 in 693 boysTXFlorida: #135 for boys · 21 births · 1 in 791 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. South Dakota#17 · 1 in 80
  2. Idaho#18 · 1 in 81
  3. Nebraska#21 · 1 in 110
  4. Iowa#22 · 1 in 131
  5. North Dakota#23 · 1 in 99

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
South Dakota#17641 in 80
Idaho#18591 in 81
Nebraska#21911 in 110
Iowa#221651 in 131
Minnesota#232331 in 106
North Dakota#23571 in 99
Oregon#26631 in 133
Montana#27361 in 132
Washington#271001 in 137
Kansas#28931 in 146
Wisconsin#282121 in 125
Michigan#323121 in 160
Ohio#323231 in 184
Indiana#341621 in 186
Utah#37381 in 153
Illinois#402771 in 231
Wyoming#42111 in 175
Missouri#431441 in 215
Oklahoma#461001 in 217
Colorado#47421 in 232
Maine#47321 in 213
Pennsylvania#522901 in 279
California#602051 in 286
Vermont#6391 in 293
New Hampshire#6691 in 397
West Virginia#69581 in 342
Arkansas#72591 in 335
Maryland#89311 in 490
New York#1061191 in 844
Arizona#116111 in 470
New Jersey#122261 in 1,167
Kentucky#129381 in 749
Florida#135211 in 791
Virginia#137321 in 804
Texas#140961 in 693
District of Columbia#14171 in 1,071
Louisiana#141321 in 761
Tennessee#162271 in 1,097
New Mexico#16381 in 753
Massachusetts#164141 in 2,380
Connecticut#17761 in 2,162
Georgia#215191 in 1,706
Alabama#226161 in 1,839
Mississippi#233121 in 1,843
North Carolina#240211 in 1,843
Alaska———
Delaware———
Hawaii———
Nevada———
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 1941

girls
#378
324 births · 1 in 3,729 girls
boys
#59
3,791 births · 1 in 324 boys

Top girls' names in 1941

  1. #1Mary58,048
  2. #2Barbara39,543
  3. #3Patricia36,905
  4. #4Carol24,187
  5. #5Linda23,721
  6. #6Judith23,320
  7. #7Betty20,905
  8. #8Nancy20,885
  9. #9Sandra19,500
  10. #10Shirley16,954
  11. #378Dale324

Top boys' names in 1941

  1. #1James66,751
  2. #2Robert64,247
  3. #3John57,520
  4. #4William47,798
  5. #5Richard39,112
  6. #6Charles32,742
  7. #7David30,553
  8. #8Thomas26,641
  9. #9Ronald24,407
  10. #10Donald22,641
  11. #59Dale3,791
More about 1941

girls

1,208,119 girls got a published name in 1941; 1 in 3,729 of them was named Dale, which outranked 92.6% of the 5,085 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.5% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Dale
  1. #375Pearlie327
  2. #376Adrienne325
  3. #376Clarice325
  4. #378Dale324
  5. #379Mavis323
  6. #380Carlene321
  7. #381Harriett320
Biggest movers since 1940
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,130Jerilyn#2,737 → #607
  2. ↑ 1,258Trina#2,109 → #851
  3. ↑ 372Karan#1,347 → #975
  4. ↑ 371Kristine#1,313 → #942
  5. ↑ 356Sherri#1,186 → #830
Fallers
  1. ↓ 447Kenneth#971 → #1,418
  2. ↓ 421Janna#997 → #1,418
  3. ↓ 366Beatriz#989 → #1,355
  4. ↓ 338Merna#997 → #1,335
  5. ↓ 337Eldora#957 → #1,294

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

boys

1,228,318 boys got a published name in 1941; 1 in 324 of them was named Dale, which outranked 98.5% of the 4,002 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.6% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Dale
  1. #56Melvin3,951
  2. #57Stanley3,926
  3. #58Earl3,806
  4. #59Dale3,791
  5. #60Francis3,738
  6. #61Ernest3,726
  7. #62Clarence3,671
Biggest movers since 1940
Risers
  1. ↑ 586Gay#1,573 → #987
  2. ↑ 375Issac#1,251 → #876
  3. ↑ 363Otho#1,334 → #971
  4. ↑ 338Lawrance#1,208 → #870
  5. ↑ 313Ford#1,251 → #938
Fallers
  1. ↓ 508Wilkie#792 → #1,300
  2. ↓ 452Arlis#994 → #1,446
  3. ↓ 394Ruby#939 → #1,333
  4. ↓ 359Gonzalo#850 → #1,209
  5. ↓ 325Lenord#929 → #1,254

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

See the top 100 for 1941 →