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#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201970peak #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 1970

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #50 for boys · 15 births · 1 in 212 boysAKMaine: #50 for boys · 36 births · 1 in 220 boysMEVermont: #87 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 442 boysVTNew Hampshire: #62 for boys · 19 births · 1 in 306 boysNHWashington: #75 for boys · 80 births · 1 in 352 boysWAIdaho: #67 for boys · 23 births · 1 in 266 boysIDMontana: #64 for boys · 20 births · 1 in 264 boysMTNorth Dakota: #45 for boys · 31 births · 1 in 165 boysNDMinnesota: #56 for boys · 125 births · 1 in 261 boysMNIllinois: #95 for boys · 175 births · 1 in 553 boysILWisconsin: #55 for boys · 138 births · 1 in 266 boysWIMichigan: #65 for boys · 212 births · 1 in 384 boysMINew York: #156 for boys · 151 births · 1 in 1,024 boysNYMassachusetts: #135 for boys · 39 births · 1 in 1,196 boysMARhode Island: #89 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 674 boysRIOregon: #85 for boys · 41 births · 1 in 405 boysORNevada: #160 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 760 boysNVWyoming: #73 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 279 boysWYSouth Dakota: #65 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 282 boysSDIowa: #74 for boys · 68 births · 1 in 340 boysIAIndiana: #80 for boys · 102 births · 1 in 468 boysINOhio: #72 for boys · 211 births · 1 in 459 boysOHPennsylvania: #85 for boys · 175 births · 1 in 537 boysPANew Jersey: #192 for boys · 37 births · 1 in 1,496 boysNJConnecticut: #110 for boys · 30 births · 1 in 771 boysCTCalifornia: #165 for boys · 201 births · 1 in 887 boysCAUtah: #92 for boys · 30 births · 1 in 411 boysUTColorado: #82 for boys · 49 births · 1 in 404 boysCONebraska: #69 for boys · 35 births · 1 in 342 boysNEMissouri: #75 for boys · 94 births · 1 in 421 boysMOKentucky: #98 for boys · 51 births · 1 in 567 boysKYWest Virginia: #70 for boys · 37 births · 1 in 379 boysWVVirginia: #146 for boys · 43 births · 1 in 889 boysVAMaryland: #114 for boys · 41 births · 1 in 686 boysMDDelaware: #124 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 746 boysDEArizona: #110 for boys · 34 births · 1 in 499 boysAZNew Mexico: #220 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 1,065 boysNMKansas: #84 for boys · 39 births · 1 in 426 boysKSArkansas: #127 for boys · 25 births · 1 in 642 boysARTennessee: #144 for boys · 43 births · 1 in 821 boysTNNorth Carolina: #130 for boys · 63 births · 1 in 724 boysNCSouth Carolina: #162 for boys · 25 births · 1 in 934 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #162 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 866 boysDCOklahoma: #122 for boys · 30 births · 1 in 674 boysOKLouisiana: #182 for boys · 38 births · 1 in 891 boysLAMississippi: #194 for boys · 21 births · 1 in 1,010 boysMSAlabama: #142 for boys · 39 births · 1 in 792 boysALGeorgia: #180 for boys · 40 births · 1 in 1,128 boysGAHawaii: #146 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 664 boysHITexas: #201 for boys · 113 births · 1 in 1,014 boysTXFlorida: #118 for boys · 94 births · 1 in 572 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. North Dakota#45 · 1 in 165
  2. Alaska#50 · 1 in 212
  3. Maine#50 · 1 in 220
  4. Wisconsin#55 · 1 in 266
  5. Minnesota#56 · 1 in 261

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
North Dakota#45311 in 165
Alaska#50151 in 212
Maine#50361 in 220
Wisconsin#551381 in 266
Minnesota#561251 in 261
New Hampshire#62191 in 306
Montana#64201 in 264
Michigan#652121 in 384
South Dakota#65181 in 282
Idaho#67231 in 266
Nebraska#69351 in 342
West Virginia#70371 in 379
Ohio#722111 in 459
Wyoming#7391 in 279
Iowa#74681 in 340
Missouri#75941 in 421
Washington#75801 in 352
Indiana#801021 in 468
Colorado#82491 in 404
Kansas#84391 in 426
Oregon#85411 in 405
Pennsylvania#851751 in 537
Vermont#8781 in 442
Rhode Island#89111 in 674
Utah#92301 in 411
Illinois#951751 in 553
Kentucky#98511 in 567
Arizona#110341 in 499
Connecticut#110301 in 771
Maryland#114411 in 686
Florida#118941 in 572
Oklahoma#122301 in 674
Delaware#12461 in 746
Arkansas#127251 in 642
North Carolina#130631 in 724
Massachusetts#135391 in 1,196
Alabama#142391 in 792
Tennessee#144431 in 821
Hawaii#146101 in 664
Virginia#146431 in 889
New York#1561511 in 1,024
Nevada#16051 in 760
District of Columbia#162141 in 866
South Carolina#162251 in 934
California#1652011 in 887
Georgia#180401 in 1,128
Louisiana#182381 in 891
New Jersey#192371 in 1,496
Mississippi#194211 in 1,010
Texas#2011131 in 1,014
New Mexico#22091 in 1,065

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 1970

girls
#813
170 births · 1 in 10,283 girls
boys
#110
3,003 births · 1 in 619 boys

Top girls' names in 1970

  1. #1Jennifer46,150
  2. #2Lisa38,967
  3. #3Kimberly34,130
  4. #4Michelle34,047
  5. #5Amy25,212
  6. #6Angela24,929
  7. #7Melissa23,735
  8. #8Tammy19,587
  9. #9Mary19,204
  10. #10Tracy18,464
  11. #813Dale170

Top boys' names in 1970

  1. #1Michael85,266
  2. #2James61,735
  3. #3David61,728
  4. #4John58,491
  5. #5Robert57,177
  6. #6Christopher41,747
  7. #7William38,887
  8. #8Brian31,917
  9. #9Mark31,461
  10. #10Richard30,442
  11. #110Dale3,003
More about 1970

girls

1,748,144 girls got a published name in 1970; 1 in 10,283 of them was named Dale, which outranked 91.3% of the 9,355 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 16.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Dale
  1. #810Abby171
  2. #810Andria171
  3. #810Kathi171
  4. #813Dale170
  5. #813Delilah170
  6. #813Josie170
  7. #813Kecia170
  8. #819Harriet169
  9. #819Loriann169
  10. #821Angelita168

Tied with 5 names at #813; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1969
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,541Tanisha#2,515 → #974
  2. ↑ 1,194India#1,955 → #761
  3. ↑ 695Shay#1,648 → #953
  4. ↑ 685Terra#1,303 → #618
  5. ↑ 669Dyan#1,648 → #979
Fallers
  1. ↓ 385Cinnamon#698 → #1,083
  2. ↓ 306Kaye#932 → #1,238
  3. ↓ 303Luanne#990 → #1,293
  4. ↓ 273Laureen#845 → #1,118
  5. ↓ 273Lesia#965 → #1,238

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

boys

1,858,229 boys got a published name in 1970; 1 in 619 of them was named Dale, which outranked 98.0% of the 5,433 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 26.8% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Dale
  1. #107Albert3,073
  2. #108Roy3,041
  3. #109Glenn3,008
  4. #110Dale3,003
  5. #111Arthur2,981
  6. #112Dean2,941
  7. #113Allen2,933
Biggest movers since 1969
Risers
  1. ↑ 3,783Jermaine#4,404 → #621
  2. ↑ 1,000Dax#1,861 → #861
  3. ↑ 842Jeramy#1,810 → #968
  4. ↑ 639Branden#1,570 → #931
  5. ↑ 407Braden#1,396 → #989
Fallers
  1. ↓ 593Jemal#549 → #1,142
  2. ↓ 307Karen#885 → #1,192
  3. ↓ 307Merlin#885 → #1,192
  4. ↓ 302Dennie#920 → #1,222
  5. ↓ 276Luciano#931 → #1,207

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

See the top 100 for 1970 →