Dallas Unisex
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: DAL-us //ˈdæl.əs//
Origin: English; Irish
Meaning: English: 'field'; Irish: 'from the place of the ash trees'
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Dallas has its roots in the Scottish Gaelic language, derived from the place name "Dailas," which is believed to mean "field" or "meadow." The etymology can be traced back to the Old Gaelic term "dail," meaning a fertile area or a valley, combined with the diminutive suffix "-as." The name entered the English language through the anglicization of Scottish place names, particularly during the 19th century when Scottish heritage began to influence American naming conventions, especially in the context of migration and settlement. Historically, the name Dallas is associated with the town of Dallas in Scotland, which has been documented since the 12th century.
The name gained further prominence in the 19th century with the establishment of Dallas, Texas, in 1841, named after George Mifflin Dallas, the 11th Vice President of the United States. This connection to a significant political figure contributed to the name's recognition in American culture.
Additionally, the name appears in various literary works and historical accounts, reinforcing its presence in the English-speaking world. Culturally, Dallas has been embraced in various contexts, often symbolizing a connection to the American frontier and the spirit of exploration and growth associated with the West.
The name has also been linked to themes of prosperity and community, particularly in relation to the development of urban centers in the United States. While diminutive forms such as "Dally" may exist, the name Dallas itself has maintained a distinct identity, reflecting both its Scottish origins and its American evolution.
Famous people named Dallas
In this section, you will find notable people named Dallas. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Dallas who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Dallas who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Dallas Buyers Club is a film best known for its portrayal of the AIDS crisis and the fight for treatment access.
Dallas Green is a musician best known for his work as the lead vocalist of City and Colour and as a guitarist for Alexisonfire.
Fictional characters named Dallas
The following list of fictional characters named Dallas is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Dallas is a fictional character from the film Alien. He is the captain of the spaceship Nostromo, tasked with leading his crew on a mission that turns deadly when they encounter a hostile alien lifeform.
Dallas is a fictional character from the video game series Dead Space. He is a member of the USG Ishimura crew, whose fate becomes intertwined with the terrifying events aboard the ship.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Dallas, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Dallas. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Dallas was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Dallas has ranked as high as #414 nationally, which occurred in 2024, and has been most popular in California, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, and Florida.
In the past 5 years the name Dallas has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Dallas is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Dallas was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Dallas (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 143 | |
| GA | 118 | |
| MI | 83 | |
| NC | 78 | |
| CA | 75 | |
| FL | 74 | |
| OH | 69 | |
| KY | 55 | |
| AL | 53 | |
| IN | 50 | |
| TN | 48 | |
| VA | 44 | |
| PA | 43 | |
| SC | 39 | |
| MO | 37 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Dallas.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,448 |
| 2023 | 1,382 |
| 2022 | 1,355 |
| 2021 | 1,286 |
| 2020 | 1,266 |
| 2019 | 1,235 |
| 2018 | 1,230 |
| 2017 | 1,401 |
| 2016 | 1,224 |
| 2015 | 1,420 |
| 2014 | 1,366 |
| 2013 | 1,167 |
| 2012 | 984 |
| 2011 | 962 |
| 2010 | 1,004 |
| 2009 | 934 |
| 2008 | 992 |
| 2007 | 949 |
| 2006 | 864 |
| 2005 | 814 |
| 2004 | 788 |
| 2003 | 684 |
| 2002 | 804 |
| 2001 | 878 |
| 2000 | 944 |
| 1999 | 950 |
| 1998 | 1,007 |
| 1997 | 1,183 |
| 1996 | 1,290 |
| 1995 | 1,374 |
| 1994 | 1,304 |
| 1993 | 1,156 |
| 1992 | 895 |
| 1991 | 693 |
| 1990 | 591 |
| 1989 | 590 |
| 1988 | 591 |
| 1987 | 562 |
| 1986 | 537 |
| 1985 | 562 |
| 1984 | 551 |
| 1983 | 459 |
| 1982 | 534 |
| 1981 | 587 |
| 1980 | 680 |
| 1979 | 609 |
| 1978 | 463 |
| 1977 | 337 |
| 1976 | 327 |
| 1975 | 342 |
| 1974 | 291 |
| 1973 | 279 |
| 1972 | 304 |
| 1971 | 350 |
| 1970 | 357 |
| 1969 | 301 |
| 1968 | 302 |
| 1967 | 273 |
| 1966 | 301 |
| 1965 | 320 |
| 1964 | 334 |
| 1963 | 359 |
| 1962 | 354 |
| 1961 | 341 |
| 1960 | 350 |
| 1959 | 370 |
| 1958 | 366 |
| 1957 | 368 |
| 1956 | 411 |
| 1955 | 418 |
| 1954 | 405 |
| 1953 | 455 |
| 1952 | 422 |
| 1951 | 435 |
| 1950 | 414 |
| 1949 | 369 |
| 1948 | 435 |
| 1947 | 433 |
| 1946 | 382 |
| 1945 | 381 |
| 1944 | 416 |
| 1943 | 492 |
| 1942 | 480 |
| 1941 | 485 |
| 1940 | 485 |
| 1939 | 510 |
| 1938 | 552 |
| 1937 | 407 |
| 1936 | 361 |
| 1935 | 410 |
| 1934 | 403 |
| 1933 | 383 |
| 1932 | 418 |
| 1931 | 411 |
| 1930 | 382 |
| 1929 | 399 |
| 1928 | 375 |
| 1927 | 416 |
| 1926 | 426 |
| 1925 | 370 |
| 1924 | 328 |
| 1923 | 352 |
| 1922 | 380 |
| 1921 | 372 |
| 1920 | 350 |
| 1919 | 301 |
| 1918 | 330 |
| 1917 | 265 |
| 1916 | 255 |
| 1915 | 266 |
| 1914 | 183 |
| 1913 | 126 |
| 1912 | 135 |
| 1911 | 51 |
| 1910 | 59 |
| 1909 | 58 |
| 1908 | 48 |
| 1907 | 49 |
| 1906 | 41 |
| 1905 | 40 |
| 1904 | 38 |
| 1903 | 39 |
| 1902 | 31 |
| 1901 | 29 |
| 1900 | 40 |
| 1899 | 25 |
| 1898 | 28 |
| 1897 | 36 |
| 1896 | 29 |
| 1895 | 33 |
| 1894 | 25 |
| 1893 | 26 |
| 1892 | 30 |
| 1891 | 33 |
| 1890 | 32 |
| 1889 | 33 |
| 1888 | 30 |
| 1887 | 16 |
| 1886 | 25 |
| 1885 | 20 |
| 1884 | 19 |
| 1883 | 19 |
| 1882 | 27 |
| 1881 | 25 |
| 1880 | 20 |