Total births
278,156
Unisex name · since 1881
Dale
Since 1881, U.S. Social Security records show 278,156 babies named Dale, peaking in 1958. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #1311
- among boys today
- 278,156
- born since 1881
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 91%
- more common than other boys
Dale currently ranks #1311 among unisex names in America, with 278,156 babies recorded since 1881.
Social Security Administration records show Dale recorded 278,156 times among boys since 1881, holding rank #1311 nationally today, ahead of 91% of boys, peaking in the 1950s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1881 to 2025.
- #1311 among boys today
- 278,156 born since 1881
- 1950s peak decade
- 91% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Dale is currently the #1311 unisex name in America, more common than 91% of boys - 278,156 born since 1881, peaking in the 1950s.
- #1311
- among boys today
- 278,156
- born since 1881
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 91%
- more common than other boys
Dale vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1311
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 91% of names given to boys today.
1950s
Peak decade
27% of everyone ever named Dale was born in this single decade.
1958
Single peak year
8,502 babies were named Dale in 1958 - its busiest year on record.
How Dale compares
278,156 Top 1% higher than 99% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Dale's all-time total is 758x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Dale | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 278,156 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 8,502 | 23 | 22,252 |
Dale's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Dale's SSA record in two at 1953 and the more recent half accounts for 52% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 48%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1881, with only 6 births recorded -- set against the 1958 peak of 8,502, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Dale at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1958
Current rank
#1,311
Active since
1881
Dale popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1881–2025
- Peak year (1958)
- 8,502
- Annual births at peak, across 145 years of records
Dale popularity over time - girls
21,887 total births recorded since 1887 (Dale as girls' name)
Dale by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Dale's strongest decade.
75,567 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 27% of all-time use.
Dale births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 121
1880s
121 births
- 1890s 281
1890s
281 births
- 1900s 672
1900s
672 births
- 1910s 8,218
1910s
8,218 births
- 1920s 22,752
1920s
22,752 births
- 1930s
1930s
32,536 births
- 1940s
1940s
46,815 births
- 1950s
1950s
75,567 births
- 1960s
1960s
50,423 births
- 1970s 18,065
1970s
18,065 births
- 1980s 10,487
1980s
10,487 births
- 1990s 6,213
1990s
6,213 births
- 2000s 3,629
2000s
3,629 births
- 2010s 1,593
2010s
1,593 births
- 2020s 784
2020s
784 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 75,567 births (27% of all-time use).
How Dale compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Dale's total volume
Dale vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Dale by state
Where Dale concentrates geographically, total births since 1881
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Ohio | | 23,035 | 8.3% |
| #2 | Michigan | | 20,052 | 7.2% |
| #3 | Pennsylvania | | 18,082 | 6.5% |
| #4 | California | | 17,993 | 6.5% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 17,672 | 6.4% |
| #6 | Wisconsin | | 13,173 | 4.7% |
| #7 | Minnesota | | 12,706 | 4.6% |
| #8 | Iowa | | 10,754 | 3.9% |
Ohio share of Dale's total US births 8.3%
Even split
23,035 of 278,156 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Dale appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Dale? ▼
Since 1881, Social Security records show 278,156 babies named Dale. Today it holds rank #1311 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1958, with 8,502 births.
When was Dale most popular? ▼
Dale was most popular in the 1950s decade with 75,567 total births. The single peak year was 1958.
Where is Dale most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Dale are Ohio (23,035 births), Michigan (20,052 births), Pennsylvania (18,082 births).
Is Dale a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Dale is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 278,156 births, and as a girl's name it has 21,887 births.
How long has the name Dale been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Dale since 1881 -- 145 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Dale? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Dalton, Dallas, Dallin, Dalen, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Dale's data
- Dale's decade-level peak was the 1950s (75,567 total births); usage has since declined to 784 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Ohio records the most Dales (23,035 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Ohio names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Dale
Nearby Names Like Dale
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Dale
Dalton Boy
#433 85,710 births
Dallas Boy
#243 71,203 births
Dallin Boy
#3817 5,197 births
Dalen Boy
#5481 1,971 births
Dalvin Boy
#8406 1,645 births
Compare Dale side by side: Dale vs Dalton Dale vs Dallas Dale vs Dallin
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Dale
Rafe #1310
2,935 births · Peak 2025
Malakhi #1312
3,043 births · Peak 2019
Isiah #1309
24,710 births · Peak 2001
Ved #1313
1,954 births · Peak 2025
Norman #1308
253,160 births · Peak 1928
Renzo #1314
2,690 births · Peak 2024
Krishiv #1307
1,288 births · Peak 2025
Osvaldo #1315
14,526 births · Peak 2004
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1881–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Dale: #1311 Unisex Name - 278,156 Births, Peak 1958." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/dale. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Dale draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.