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Home › Baby Names Directory › Dale

Dale

♀ Girl

Pronounced DAYL /ˈdeɪl/High

Meaning: From the Old English 'dael' ('valley'), Dale began as a topographic surname for someone living in a valley, then a given name. It is usually a boy's name; used here for a girl, we flag the cross-sex lean honestly.Medium

In 30 seconds: A gentle nature name: Dale means 'valley' (said 'DAYL'). It is usually a boy's name — we flag the lean.
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Origin MediumEnglish
MeaningFrom the Old English 'dael' ('valley'), Dale began as a topographic surname for someone living in a valley, then a given name. It is usually a boy's name; used here for a girl, we flag the cross-sex lean honestly.
U.S. rank (2023)#15719 ↘ Falling
2023 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1952
Total births (all-time)≈ 21,882

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 195218872023

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Dale grew from the Old English 'dael' ('valley'), first a surname for a valley-dweller, then a given name. It is usually a boy's name in the U.S.; used here for a girl, we flag the cross-sex lean honestly. It reads calm, earthy, and simple (said 'DAYL').

For girls it is very rare, against heavier boys' use. Rare for girls, earthy, and calm.

Did you know? Dale comes from the Old English for 'valley' — a calm nature-and-surname name that is usually a boy's name, which we flag honestly (said 'DAYL').
Overall data confidence 50%
References — Dale — Old English 'valley'; surname; boy-leaning, cross-sex flagged

Variations

DayleDaelDahl

Nicknames

DeeDal

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Dale…

Dell— a like small nature word-name
Dallas— a like place-and-surname name
Blaine— a like brief unisex name
Reese— a like crisp cross-sex pick

Explore names like Dale

By themenaturesurnamecross-sexunisex-lean-boy

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Dale mean?

Dale comes from the Old English 'dael,' meaning 'valley'; it began as a surname for a valley-dweller.

How do you pronounce Dale?

It's said DAYL /ˈdeɪl/ — one syllable.

Is Dale a boy or girl name?

Dale is usually a boy's name; used here for a girl, we flag the cross-sex lean honestly.

How popular is Dale?

Dale is very rare for girls in the U.S. and more common for boys.

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