Dale

Did you know?

A few things about Dale you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.

⭐ Famous Dale

Dale Evans

American actress, singer and writer (1912–2001)

Choose Dale and your child shares a first name with Dale Evans, an American actress, singer and writer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Dale, like who?” Dale Evans's Wikipedia article is available in 25 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Dale Evans on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Harry Warnecke, CC0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 13,245 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Dale, 129 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Dale would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryDale first shows up in US birth records in 1881, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 144 years since.
• 🏆Best yearIt was far more popular in 1958, when it ranked #46. Today it's #1,409, so it could be due a comeback.
• 📉Then vs nowDale was 2.7× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 4,826 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 13,245.
• 🍂TrendDale has slipped 56 places over the last five years and now sits at #1,409. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
• 📍Where it's lovedDale is most popular in Michigan, where it ranks #679, followed by Utah (#703) and Missouri (#709). It's in the top 1,000 in 7 states.
• 💬MeaningIn English, Dale means “valley”. Our records link it to English and Old English roots.

About the name Dale

Dale is a boy name of English and Old English origin meaning “valley”. It has 4 letters and 2 syllables, starting with D and ending in “-ale”. US birth records list Dale for boys from 1881 to 2025, in 145 of those 145 years. Its best year was 1958, when it ranked #46 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #1,409, with 129 babies.

Origin:English namesOld English names