Dale

At a Glance: Name: Dale – Meaning: topographic surname for someone who lived in a valley (dale) – Origin: English (surname) – Gender: Boy – Pronunciation: DAYL

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Dale, pronounced DAYL, is an English surname name — it started out as a topographic term for someone who lived in a dale, or valley. On this list it's a boy's name with a clean, modern feel: short, plain-spoken, and rooted in the land rather than a story or title.

Meaning & Origin of Dale

Meaning: Topographic surname for someone who lived in a valley (dale).

Origin: English (surname).

Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.

How to Pronounce Dale

Phonetic: DAYL   IPA: /ˈdeɪl/

Popularity of Dale

Dale hit its high point on the SSA list in 1952, ranking #46 with 7,415 babies given the name that year. By 2024 it had dropped all the way to #1306, with just 149 babies named Dale.

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1881–2024.

Make Dale Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Dale, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.

Names With a Similar Story

Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.

• Alder
• Anson
• Ashon
• Birch
• Cason
• Cedar

FAQ

What does the name Dale mean?

Topographic surname for someone who lived in a valley (dale). (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Dale)

How do you pronounce Dale?

Dale is pronounced DAYL (IPA: /ˈdeɪl/).

Is Dale a popular name right now?

Dale peaked at #46 in 1952 and is ranked #1306 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1881–2024.)

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