Dalton
From Old English dæl (“valley”) + tun (“settlement”).
Every Dalton since 1881 — 86,142 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Dalton
Dalton is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #448 in 2025 with 699 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1881, 86,142 American babies have been named Dalton. Its peak came in 1998, when 4,590 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Dalton stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Dalton year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | #13,608 | 699 | #448 |
| 2024 | 6 | #13,880 | 732 | #433 |
| 2023 | — | — | 582 | #513 |
| 2022 | — | — | 574 | #516 |
| 2021 | 6 | #13,890 | 566 | #519 |
| 2020 | 8 | #11,329 | 638 | #464 |
| 2019 | 5 | #16,106 | 686 | #445 |
| 2018 | 5 | #16,259 | 799 | #397 |
| 2017 | — | — | 893 | #371 |
| 2016 | 7 | #13,238 | 1,050 | #328 |
| 2015 | — | — | 1,050 | #328 |
| 2014 | 7 | #13,413 | 1,118 | #312 |
| 2013 | 6 | #15,067 | 1,106 | #310 |
| 2012 | 7 | #13,833 | 1,232 | #285 |
| 2011 | — | — | 1,267 | #276 |
| 2010 | 5 | #17,643 | 1,332 | #260 |
| 2009 | 11 | #10,140 | 1,476 | #239 |
| 2008 | 7 | #14,195 | 1,736 | #218 |
| 2007 | 13 | #9,141 | 1,836 | #212 |
| 2006 | 12 | #9,429 | 1,939 | #200 |
| 2005 | — | — | 2,256 | #180 |
| 2004 | 32 | #4,308 | 2,454 | #167 |
| 2003 | 8 | #11,555 | 2,857 | #143 |
| 2002 | 13 | #7,934 | 3,284 | #117 |
| 2001 | 14 | #7,409 | 3,895 | #98 |
| 2000 | 25 | #4,685 | 4,445 | #91 |
| 1995 | 28 | #3,798 | 4,191 | #87 |
| 1990 | 5 | #13,448 | 1,571 | #193 |
| 1985 | — | — | 129 | #782 |
| 1980 | — | — | 74 | #1,049 |
| 1975 | — | — | 48 | #1,233 |
| 1970 | — | — | 90 | #849 |
| 1965 | — | — | 54 | #1,004 |
| 1960 | — | — | 91 | #799 |
| 1955 | — | — | 102 | #723 |
| 1950 | — | — | 99 | #687 |
| 1945 | — | — | 104 | #597 |
| 1940 | — | — | 128 | #511 |
| 1935 | 5 | #4,343 | 157 | #453 |
| 1930 | — | — | 143 | #498 |
| 1925 | — | — | 177 | #453 |
| 1920 | — | — | 143 | #509 |
| 1915 | — | — | 93 | #593 |
| 1910 | — | — | 22 | #627 |
| 1905 | — | — | 11 | #751 |
| 1900 | — | — | 16 | #631 |
| 1895 | — | — | 11 | #649 |
| 1890 | — | — | 5 | #1,036 |
| 1885 | — | — | 8 | #717 |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Dalton
- Dalton Trumbo Writer · 1905–1976
- Dalton Vigh Actor · b. 1964
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Dalton mean?
From Old English dæl (“valley”) + tun (“settlement”).
How popular is the name Dalton in 2025?
Dalton ranked #448 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 699 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Dalton?
86,142 babies have been named Dalton in the United States since 1881, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Dalton most popular?
Dalton peaked in 1998, when 4,590 newborns received the name.
Is Dalton a boy or girl name?
Dalton is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Dalton rising or falling?
Dalton is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Dalton?
Well-known people named Dalton include Dalton Trumbo (writer), Dalton Vigh (actor).