Dalton
Meaning of Dalton
Dalton started out as an English habitational surname, stitched together from the Old English dæl, “valley,” and tūn, “settlement,” so it literally labels its bearer as “the town in the valley.” The name crossed the Atlantic with early settlers and found fresh footing in America, where it has enjoyed a long if uneven run on the boys’ charts—peaking just inside the Top 100 at the turn of the millennium before settling into the comfortable middle of today’s Top 500. Cultural references range from the Dalton Gang of Old West lore to the decidedly more respectable chemist John Dalton, whose atomic theory gives the name a subtle scholarly charge. As a given name, Dalton blends a rugged, outdoorsy image with a nod to academic curiosity, making it feel equally at home on the ball field or in the lab. Pronounced DAWL-tən, it offers a familiar sound without feeling overexposed, a valley town that still has plenty of open space.
Pronunciation
English
- Pronunced as DAWL-tən (/ˈdɔltən/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Dalton
| Dalton Castle is an American professional wrestler signed to AEW and ROH, known for his multiple ROH championship wins and tenure in Chikara. |
| James Dalton Trumbo was an American screenwriter known for award-winning films like Spartacus and for refusing to testify before HUAC as one of the Hollywood Ten. |
| Dalton Schultz is a professional NFL tight end for the Houston Texans. |
| Dalton Louis Rapattoni is an American singer who placed third on the fifteenth season of American Idol. |
| Dalton Tagelagi - Dalton Emani Makamau Tagelagi is the sixth and current prime minister of Niue, elected in June 2020. |
| Dalton Prout is a Canadian former NHL defenceman who primarily played for the Columbus Blue Jackets and now serves as a scout for the Florida Panthers. |
| Dalton Smith is an English professional boxer who has held European, British, and Commonwealth super-lightweight titles and earned amateur medals in youth championships. |
| Dalton Larkin McMichael Sr. was an influential American textile executive and philanthropist, ranked among the top fifty in his field during the 20th century and inducted into the American Textile Hall of Fame in 2003. |
| Dalton Bell is a former American professional football quarterback who played in the NFL and CFL. |
| Dalton William Risner is an NFL offensive guard for the Cincinnati Bengals, drafted by the Denver Broncos in 2019 after playing college football at Kansas State. |
| Dalton Hilliard is a former New Orleans Saints running back who earned a Pro Bowl selection in 1989 and is honored in the Saints Hall of Fame. |
| Dalton Polius is a Saint Lucian cricketer who played for the Windward Islands as a right-arm off-spin bowler and left-handed batsman. |
| Dalton Wilkins is a New Zealand left-back playing for Kolding IF in Denmark's 1st Division, on loan from Sønderjyske. |
| Dalton James is an American actor born in Sacramento, California. |
| Dalton Pando is an American midfielder who last played for Tormenta FC in USL League One. |
