Dale is a boy name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Dale means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Dale across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Dale has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Dale is a boy name of Old English origin meaning “valley”. From an English surname denoting someone who lived in a valley.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 300,043 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 1,622 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 1,897 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 118 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 496 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Dale per year, United States (1881 to 2025). United States peaked in 1958 (9,087/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1996 (379/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1994 (203/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1994 (62/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 1998 (20/yr).
Dale has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1958, when it ranked #90 nationally (given to 9,087 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1950s.
Doyle · Dahlia · Dollie · Dalia · Dayle · Del · Dell · Dillie
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