The first name Dalton
A boy’s name from English meaning “valley”, “settlement”.
Pronounced /ˈdɔltən/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
English origin
Dalton means “valley”, “settlement” in English.
From Old English dæl (“valley”) + tun (“settlement”). Equivalent to dale + town.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 60 boys were named Dalton, making it the 621st most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2019, with 86 births (#469).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Dalton with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Dalton at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 699 boys born in the United States were named Dalton, the 448th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1998, when 4,565 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
- Doulton
Famous people named Dalton
15 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Joseph Dalton HookerBritish botanist, lichenologist, and surgeon (1817–1911)
- Dalton TrumboAmerican screenwriter (1905–1976)
- Dalton VighBrazilian actor, born 1964
- Dalton KnechtAmerican basketball player (born 2001)
- Dalton McGuintyCanadian politician, born 1955
- Dalton Jérson TrevisanBrazilian writer (1925–2024)
- Dalton GrantBritish athlete, born 1966
- Dalton E GrayAmerican actor and television actor, born 1997
- Dalton BaldwinAmerican musician (1931-2019)
- Dalton CastleAmerican professional and amateur wrestler, born 1986
- Dalton Moreira NetoBrazilian footballer and manager, born 1990
- Dalton JamesAmerican actor, born 1971
More English boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Dalton mean?
- Dalton means “valley”, “settlement” in English.
- What is the origin of the name Dalton?
- From Old English dæl (“valley”) + tun (“settlement”). Equivalent to dale + town.
- How popular is the name Dalton?
- In 2025, 60 boys born in England and Wales were named Dalton, ranking 621st. Its peak was 2019, with 86 births.
- Is Dalton a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 99% of the 86,142 US babies named Dalton since 1880 were boys.
- When was Dalton most popular?
- 1998 in the United States, when 4,565 babies were named Dalton, its highest rank at 88th.
- How do you pronounce Dalton?
- Dalton is /ˈdɔltən/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Dalton?
- Doulton.
- Is Dalton also a surname?
- Yes. Dalton is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.