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#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201944peak #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 1944

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedAKMaine: #45 for boys · 40 births · 1 in 191 boysMEVermont: #56 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 215 boysVTNew Hampshire: #76 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 411 boysNHWashington: #31 for boys · 141 births · 1 in 143 boysWAIdaho: #18 for boys · 56 births · 1 in 91 boysIDMontana: #39 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 187 boysMTNorth Dakota: #26 for boys · 46 births · 1 in 124 boysNDMinnesota: #22 for boys · 254 births · 1 in 101 boysMNIllinois: #45 for boys · 267 births · 1 in 249 boysILWisconsin: #25 for boys · 215 births · 1 in 132 boysWIMichigan: #30 for boys · 317 births · 1 in 168 boysMINew York: #98 for boys · 157 births · 1 in 702 boysNYMassachusetts: #130 for boys · 22 births · 1 in 1,699 boysMARhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedRIOregon: #31 for boys · 78 births · 1 in 143 boysORNevada: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedNVWyoming: #38 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 154 boysWYSouth Dakota: #18 for boys · 70 births · 1 in 75 boysSDIowa: #20 for boys · 196 births · 1 in 110 boysIAIndiana: #40 for boys · 148 births · 1 in 224 boysINOhio: #36 for boys · 300 births · 1 in 208 boysOHPennsylvania: #54 for boys · 288 births · 1 in 291 boysPANew Jersey: #207 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 3,445 boysNJConnecticut: #132 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 1,409 boysCTCalifornia: #62 for boys · 261 births · 1 in 324 boysCAUtah: #36 for boys · 44 births · 1 in 163 boysUTColorado: #38 for boys · 55 births · 1 in 204 boysCONebraska: #22 for boys · 104 births · 1 in 107 boysNEMissouri: #47 for boys · 130 births · 1 in 250 boysMOKentucky: #138 for boys · 35 births · 1 in 821 boysKYWest Virginia: #79 for boys · 45 births · 1 in 419 boysWVVirginia: #179 for boys · 23 births · 1 in 1,281 boysVAMaryland: #96 for boys · 30 births · 1 in 610 boysMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedDEArizona: #115 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 493 boysAZNew Mexico: #140 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 620 boysNMKansas: #28 for boys · 106 births · 1 in 148 boysKSArkansas: #102 for boys · 42 births · 1 in 477 boysARTennessee: #145 for boys · 34 births · 1 in 938 boysTNNorth Carolina: #167 for boys · 39 births · 1 in 1,076 boysNCSouth Carolina: #290 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 2,985 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #107 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 709 boysDCOklahoma: #74 for boys · 63 births · 1 in 342 boysOKLouisiana: #126 for boys · 40 births · 1 in 675 boysLAMississippi: #200 for boys · 16 births · 1 in 1,484 boysMSAlabama: #226 for boys · 17 births · 1 in 1,914 boysALGeorgia: #202 for boys · 22 births · 1 in 1,657 boysGAHawaii: fewer than 5 boys named Dale, so not publishedHITexas: #140 for boys · 110 births · 1 in 717 boysTXFlorida: #110 for boys · 40 births · 1 in 587 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. South Dakota#18 · 1 in 75
  2. Idaho#18 · 1 in 91
  3. Iowa#20 · 1 in 110
  4. Minnesota#22 · 1 in 101
  5. Nebraska#22 · 1 in 107

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Idaho#18561 in 91
South Dakota#18701 in 75
Iowa#201961 in 110
Minnesota#222541 in 101
Nebraska#221041 in 107
Wisconsin#252151 in 132
North Dakota#26461 in 124
Kansas#281061 in 148
Michigan#303171 in 168
Oregon#31781 in 143
Washington#311411 in 143
Ohio#363001 in 208
Utah#36441 in 163
Colorado#38551 in 204
Wyoming#38141 in 154
Montana#39241 in 187
Indiana#401481 in 224
Illinois#452671 in 249
Maine#45401 in 191
Missouri#471301 in 250
Pennsylvania#542881 in 291
Vermont#56121 in 215
California#622611 in 324
Oklahoma#74631 in 342
New Hampshire#7691 in 411
West Virginia#79451 in 419
Maryland#96301 in 610
New York#981571 in 702
Arkansas#102421 in 477
District of Columbia#107141 in 709
Florida#110401 in 587
Arizona#115141 in 493
Louisiana#126401 in 675
Massachusetts#130221 in 1,699
Connecticut#132111 in 1,409
Kentucky#138351 in 821
New Mexico#140111 in 620
Texas#1401101 in 717
Tennessee#145341 in 938
North Carolina#167391 in 1,076
Virginia#179231 in 1,281
Mississippi#200161 in 1,484
Georgia#202221 in 1,657
New Jersey#207101 in 3,445
Alabama#226171 in 1,914
South Carolina#29081 in 2,985
Alaska———
Delaware———
Hawaii———
Nevada———
Rhode Island———

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 1944

girls
#330
432 births · 1 in 3,072 girls
boys
#61
3,990 births · 1 in 342 boys

Top girls' names in 1944

  1. #1Mary62,476
  2. #2Barbara39,196
  3. #3Linda38,415
  4. #4Patricia36,874
  5. #5Carol30,456
  6. #6Sandra26,024
  7. #7Nancy23,218
  8. #8Sharon22,433
  9. #9Judith22,431
  10. #10Betty19,761
  11. #330Dale432

Top boys' names in 1944

  1. #1James76,951
  2. #2Robert70,855
  3. #3John66,616
  4. #4William52,375
  5. #5Richard45,643
  6. #6David37,382
  7. #7Charles34,662
  8. #8Thomas31,604
  9. #9Michael26,717
  10. #10Ronald25,513
  11. #61Dale3,990
More about 1944

girls

1,327,223 girls got a published name in 1944; 1 in 3,072 of them was named Dale, which outranked 93.7% of the 5,243 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.2% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Dale
  1. #326Nelda435
  2. #328Lupe434
  3. #328Margo434
  4. #330Dale432
  5. #331Celia428
  6. #331Jeannie428
  7. #333Alicia424
Biggest movers since 1943
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,229Dorinda#1,834 → #605
  2. ↑ 611Deirdre#1,556 → #945
  3. ↑ 504Alana#1,251 → #747
  4. ↑ 460Elyse#1,327 → #867
  5. ↑ 407Joella#1,395 → #988
Fallers
  1. ↓ 613Michal#996 → #1,609
  2. ↓ 493Aloma#762 → #1,255
  3. ↓ 448Louvenia#916 → #1,364
  4. ↓ 347Norine#889 → #1,236
  5. ↓ 341Lyla#864 → #1,205

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

boys

1,362,875 boys got a published name in 1944; 1 in 342 of them was named Dale, which outranked 98.4% of the 3,909 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 34.4% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Dale
  1. #58Norman4,065
  2. #59Ernest4,042
  3. #60Philip3,992
  4. #61Dale3,990
  5. #62Samuel3,946
  6. #63Russell3,931
  7. #64Patrick3,881
Biggest movers since 1943
Risers
  1. ↑ 647Rickie#1,461 → #814
  2. ↑ 586Rusty#1,577 → #991
  3. ↑ 585Humberto#1,280 → #695
  4. ↑ 408Llewellyn#1,343 → #935
  5. ↑ 402Hilario#1,308 → #906
Fallers
  1. ↓ 359Elwyn#923 → #1,282
  2. ↓ 356Albin#856 → #1,212
  3. ↓ 348Prentiss#980 → #1,328
  4. ↓ 286Barrie#969 → #1,255
  5. ↓ 269Duke#986 → #1,255

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

See the top 100 for 1944 →