Dale
Boy name · #1410 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Dale? In official American birth records, Dale has been tracked continuously since 1881, giving it 144 years of documented American history.
Dale is currently the #1410 boy name in the United States — 129 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1096, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 13,953 boys born in 2025 was named Dale.
Babies named Dale per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 144-year story
Dale first appears in the Social Security records in 1881, when 6 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1958, when 8,502 boys were named Dale — good for #46 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Dale against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Dale in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Dale is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Dale will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Dale is most common
State-level data for Dale is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Dale
Statistically, parents drawn to Dale tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Dave, Dwayne, Duane, Steve, and Daryl.
DaveDwayneDuaneSteveDarylDonnieMikeMonte
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Dale | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 129 | #1409 |
| 2024 | 149 | #1308 |
| 2023 | 130 | #1408 |
| 2022 | 115 | #1551 |
| 2021 | 130 | #1407 |
| 2020 | 131 | #1353 |
| 2019 | 118 | #1468 |
| 2018 | 127 | #1385 |
| 2017 | 150 | #1219 |
| 2016 | 173 | #1124 |
| 2015 | 177 | #1096 |
| 2014 | 181 | #1070 |
| 2013 | 146 | #1229 |
| 2012 | 165 | #1115 |
| 2011 | 166 | #1108 |
| 2010 | 190 | #1019 |
| 2009 | 225 | #920 |
| 2008 | 261 | #836 |
| 2007 | 284 | #772 |
| 2006 | 290 | #735 |
| 2005 | 323 | #662 |
| 2004 | 353 | #607 |
| 2003 | 408 | #550 |
| 2002 | 466 | #496 |
| 2001 | 612 | #410 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Dale?
In official American birth records, the name Dale first appeared in 1881 (over 144 years ago), when 6 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Dale a popular boy name?
Dale ranked #1410 among boys in 2025 with 129 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1096.
When was the name Dale most popular?
Dale peaked in 1958, when 8,502 American boys received the name (ranked #46 that year). Since 1958 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Dale?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 13,953 newborn American boys was named Dale. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.