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#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201952peak #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 1952

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #64 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 294 boysAKMaine: #39 for boys · 63 births · 1 in 157 boysMEVermont: #43 for boys · 22 births · 1 in 177 boysVTNew Hampshire: #42 for boys · 29 births · 1 in 194 boysNHWashington: #33 for boys · 212 births · 1 in 141 boysWAIdaho: #33 for boys · 57 births · 1 in 127 boysIDMontana: #31 for boys · 59 births · 1 in 121 boysMTNorth Dakota: #23 for boys · 99 births · 1 in 77 boysNDMinnesota: #29 for boys · 351 births · 1 in 108 boysMNIllinois: #43 for boys · 455 births · 1 in 221 boysILWisconsin: #25 for boys · 395 births · 1 in 108 boysWIMichigan: #32 for boys · 577 births · 1 in 150 boysMINew York: #85 for boys · 340 births · 1 in 485 boysNYMassachusetts: #90 for boys · 64 births · 1 in 807 boysMARhode Island: #87 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 737 boysRIOregon: #32 for boys · 126 births · 1 in 147 boysORNevada: #53 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 211 boysNVWyoming: #30 for boys · 25 births · 1 in 137 boysWYSouth Dakota: #29 for boys · 73 births · 1 in 115 boysSDIowa: #35 for boys · 197 births · 1 in 157 boysIAIndiana: #36 for boys · 270 births · 1 in 187 boysINOhio: #32 for boys · 697 births · 1 in 146 boysOHPennsylvania: #48 for boys · 485 births · 1 in 243 boysPANew Jersey: #103 for boys · 61 births · 1 in 851 boysNJConnecticut: #99 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 903 boysCTCalifornia: #49 for boys · 530 births · 1 in 265 boysCAUtah: #34 for boys · 81 births · 1 in 136 boysUTColorado: #37 for boys · 103 births · 1 in 175 boysCONebraska: #34 for boys · 107 births · 1 in 146 boysNEMissouri: #36 for boys · 218 births · 1 in 204 boysMOKentucky: #68 for boys · 106 births · 1 in 337 boysKYWest Virginia: #64 for boys · 72 births · 1 in 330 boysWVVirginia: #84 for boys · 100 births · 1 in 411 boysVAMaryland: #77 for boys · 72 births · 1 in 384 boysMDDelaware: #55 for boys · 17 births · 1 in 225 boysDEArizona: #67 for boys · 40 births · 1 in 296 boysAZNew Mexico: #106 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 461 boysNMKansas: #32 for boys · 163 births · 1 in 138 boysKSArkansas: #80 for boys · 56 births · 1 in 383 boysARTennessee: #98 for boys · 72 births · 1 in 547 boysTNNorth Carolina: #103 for boys · 104 births · 1 in 512 boysNCSouth Carolina: #129 for boys · 41 births · 1 in 733 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #123 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 801 boysDCOklahoma: #47 for boys · 107 births · 1 in 225 boysOKLouisiana: #77 for boys · 116 births · 1 in 324 boysLAMississippi: #161 for boys · 30 births · 1 in 961 boysMSAlabama: #123 for boys · 56 births · 1 in 694 boysALGeorgia: #125 for boys · 70 births · 1 in 667 boysGAHawaii: #95 for boys · 20 births · 1 in 335 boysHITexas: #89 for boys · 268 births · 1 in 429 boysTXFlorida: #62 for boys · 117 births · 1 in 303 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. North Dakota#23 · 1 in 77
  2. Wisconsin#25 · 1 in 108
  3. Minnesota#29 · 1 in 108
  4. South Dakota#29 · 1 in 115
  5. Wyoming#30 · 1 in 137

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
North Dakota#23991 in 77
Wisconsin#253951 in 108
Minnesota#293511 in 108
South Dakota#29731 in 115
Wyoming#30251 in 137
Montana#31591 in 121
Kansas#321631 in 138
Michigan#325771 in 150
Ohio#326971 in 146
Oregon#321261 in 147
Idaho#33571 in 127
Washington#332121 in 141
Nebraska#341071 in 146
Utah#34811 in 136
Iowa#351971 in 157
Indiana#362701 in 187
Missouri#362181 in 204
Colorado#371031 in 175
Maine#39631 in 157
New Hampshire#42291 in 194
Illinois#434551 in 221
Vermont#43221 in 177
Oklahoma#471071 in 225
Pennsylvania#484851 in 243
California#495301 in 265
Nevada#5381 in 211
Delaware#55171 in 225
Florida#621171 in 303
Alaska#6481 in 294
West Virginia#64721 in 330
Arizona#67401 in 296
Kentucky#681061 in 337
Louisiana#771161 in 324
Maryland#77721 in 384
Arkansas#80561 in 383
Virginia#841001 in 411
New York#853401 in 485
Rhode Island#87121 in 737
Texas#892681 in 429
Massachusetts#90641 in 807
Hawaii#95201 in 335
Tennessee#98721 in 547
Connecticut#99241 in 903
New Jersey#103611 in 851
North Carolina#1031041 in 512
New Mexico#106241 in 461
Alabama#123561 in 694
District of Columbia#123181 in 801
Georgia#125701 in 667
South Carolina#129411 in 733
Mississippi#161301 in 961

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 1952

girls
#236
1,108 births · 1 in 1,674 girls
boys
#46
7,417 births · 1 in 262 boys

Top girls' names in 1952

  1. #1Linda67,082
  2. #2Mary65,629
  3. #3Patricia53,101
  4. #4Deborah49,811
  5. #5Susan41,348
  6. #6Barbara39,864
  7. #7Nancy31,739
  8. #8Karen28,956
  9. #9Debra26,832
  10. #10Sandra26,097
  11. #236Dale1,108

Top boys' names in 1952

  1. #1James87,065
  2. #2Robert86,588
  3. #3John83,140
  4. #4Michael79,037
  5. #5David71,752
  6. #6William63,039
  7. #7Richard58,350
  8. #8Thomas48,647
  9. #9Charles38,866
  10. #10Gary38,754
  11. #46Dale7,417
More about 1952

girls

1,854,335 girls got a published name in 1952; 1 in 1,674 of them was named Dale, which outranked 96.3% of the 6,389 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. #233Lillie1,124
  2. #234Nora1,122
  3. #235Carrie1,110
  4. #236Dale1,108
  5. #237Lana1,104
  6. #238Tina1,099
  7. #239Vera1,091
Biggest movers since 1951
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,501Pandora#3,284 → #783
  2. ↑ 368Lise#1,314 → #946
  3. ↑ 353Vanessa#656 → #303
  4. ↑ 334Dorinda#1,170 → #836
  5. ↑ 332Mitzi#928 → #596
Fallers
  1. ↓ 380Rhona#988 → #1,368
  2. ↓ 342Sharleen#765 → #1,107
  3. ↓ 270Enid#908 → #1,178
  4. ↓ 237Allyn#988 → #1,225
  5. ↓ 230Sheron#908 → #1,138

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

boys

1,943,633 boys got a published name in 1952; 1 in 262 of them was named Dale, which outranked 98.9% of the 4,257 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.7% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Dale
  1. #43Kevin7,916
  2. #44Walter7,897
  3. #45Carl7,823
  4. #46Dale7,417
  5. #47Arthur7,236
  6. #48Willie7,197
  7. #49Keith7,174
Biggest movers since 1951
Risers
  1. ↑ 753Darren#1,598 → #845
  2. ↑ 372Robby#1,242 → #870
  3. ↑ 355Cris#1,218 → #863
  4. ↑ 301Ethan#1,295 → #994
  5. ↑ 280Adan#1,150 → #870
Fallers
  1. ↓ 477Ottis#984 → #1,461
  2. ↓ 408Wayland#915 → #1,323
  3. ↓ 330Mcarthur#806 → #1,136
  4. ↓ 305Arvin#963 → #1,268
  5. ↓ 285Levon#881 → #1,166

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

See the top 100 for 1952 →