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Dale Name Meaning, Origins & History

Dale

Pronunciation: DAYL

Meaning From the valley Origin surnames Gender Boy
BOYS RANK
#1,410
TREND
104
GIRLS RANK
#15,450
TREND
269
Peak Years
1958, 1959, 1957
Lowest Years
1881, 1882, 1884
Energy Archetype
Practical & Determined

Rank shows the name’s position among U.S. baby names for each gender in 2025. Trend shows how many places it rose or fell since 2024. Rank 1 is the most popular. Based on U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) data. Peak and lowest years are based on the number of boys named Dale in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Dale

  • An established favorite: Dale held a place in the U.S. top 100 for 49 consecutive years, from 1921 through 1969.
  • More than 300 thousand babies named Dale: U.S. records list 300,034 babies given the name Dale from 1880 through 2025. Even 21,887 girls received the name Dale - about 1 girl for every 13 boys.

What Does the Name Dale Mean?

Dale is an English name meaning 'valley.' It comes from the Middle English dale and the Old English dæl, both of which refer to a valley or a hollow between hills. As a surname, Dale was topographic: it identified a person who lived in a valley or who came from a place named Dale. The place-name element appears in several English counties, and in northern areas it sometimes reflects the related Old Norse word dalr, which also means valley. The given name is a transferred use of that surname, so its literal meaning remains 'valley.'

Dale Name History & Origins

The word dæl is recorded in Old English and remained in use as the common noun dale through the Middle English period. It appears often in English place names, especially in the north and in areas of Scandinavian settlement, where the Old Norse dalr gave a similar element. From these place names and from the everyday word for a valley, the surname Dale developed in the Middle Ages, used across England as a topographic or habitational name.

As a given name, Dale is a transferred use of the surname rather than an ancient personal name. It is found as a given name in the 19th century and became established in the 20th century. It has also been used for girls, though less frequently. The name has no strong religious or classical associations; its history is chiefly that of an English topographic word and surname that later entered the stock of given names.

How Popular is the Name Dale?

Dale remained among the top 100 boy names in the U.S. from 1921 to 1969. Its highest annual birth count was in 1958, and people born that year turn 68 in 2026.

U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.

Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.

Famous People Named Dale

Dale Carnegie
Dale Carnegie

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Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.

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How the Name Dale Shapes Your Personality and Life?

You are strong in material matters, determined and stubborn. You have good business ability. You are a good worker, steady and practical, a builder who takes responsibility well. These qualities may bring you a position of authority and power. You are a doer, down-to-earth, serious-minded, reliable, and self-disciplined; have good power of concentration. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.

Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.

✦ Dale's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Dale's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.
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