Dallas
Dallas is a unisex name of Scottish origin meaning “from the dale, meadow dwelling.” It ranked #238 in the United States in 2025. A Scottish place-name meaning meadow dwelling that became a popular Texas city.
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how do you pronounce Dallas?
DAL-us
where does the name Dallas come from?
Dallas has two separate origins. The Scottish surname comes from the place Dallas near Forres, probably from the British dol, meadow, and gwas, dwelling; the English one comes from the Old English dæl or Old Norse dalr, valley, with hus, house, as in Dalehouse in North Yorkshire, through a 13th-century form meaning dweller at the house in the dale.
As a given name it carries an American frontier spirit.
how popular is this name?
Dallas has appeared in the US top 1,000 in 146 years since 1880. It peaked at #214 in 1995, and ranked #238 in 2025.
See the milestone years
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | #238 |
| 2024 | #243 |
| 2023 | #252 |
| 2022 | #253 |
| 2021 | #270 |
| 2020 | #269 |
| 2019 | #283 |
| 2018 | #286 |
| 2017 | #260 |
| 2016 | #296 |
| 2010 | #319 |
| 2000 | #309 |
| 1995 | #214 |
| 1990 | #392 |
| 1980 | #298 |
| 1970 | #430 |
| 1960 | #429 |
| 1950 | #331 |
| 1940 | #247 |
| 1930 | #291 |
| 1920 | #305 |
| 1910 | #321 |
| 1900 | #343 |
| 1890 | #302 |
| 1880 | #381 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset (through 2025). Years absent from the table are years Dallas fell outside the top 1,000.
the history of Dallas
The Texas city of Dallas was named after a U.S. vice president under Polk, whose family surname came from that same 13th-century form.
who are famous people named Dallas?
- Dallas Cowboys (team)
- Dallas Green
what names are similar to Dallas?
what names go well with Dallas?
Sibling names that share Dallas's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
quick answers about Dallas
What does the name Dallas mean?
Dallas means “from the dale, meadow dwelling”.
What is the origin of the name Dallas?
Dallas comes from the Scottish naming tradition.
How popular is the name Dallas?
Dallas ranked #238 in the US in 2025, according to Social Security data. Its best year was 1995, at #214, and it has spent 146 years in the top 1,000 since 1880.
Is Dallas a boy or girl name?
Dallas is a unisex name, used for both boys and girls.
How do you pronounce Dallas?
Dallas is pronounced DAL-us, with 2 syllables.
Last updated · Curated by HushName editorial
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