Dale
Boy name · #1410 in 2025 · Very rare
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: SSA.
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
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: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.