Bale
A masculine English name derived from the Old English word meaning "fire" or "blaze".
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Bale. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Bale today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Bale births was 2016 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Bale. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Bale with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Bale. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
2016
5 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2018 SSA rank
#12,374
Tracked since 2016
Popularity
Bale: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Bale by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Bale during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 10 | 0 | 10 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Bale
The name Bale has its origins in several languages and cultures, with various meanings and historical references. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "bale," meaning "misery" or "calamity." In Old Norse, the name "Bale" or "Bali" was associated with fire or a burning flame.
Another possible origin traces back to the Hebrew name "Baal," which means "lord" or "master." In ancient Semitic religions, Baal was a prominent deity worshipped by the Canaanites and Phoenicians. The name was also used in biblical texts, often referring to false idols or gods.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bale can be found in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a collection of annals documenting the history of the Anglo-Saxons. The chronicle mentions a figure named Bale, who was a nobleman during the reign of King Edward the Elder in the 10th century.
In the Middle Ages, the name Bale was associated with the English scholar and humanist John Bale, born in 1495. He was a prominent figure during the English Reformation and wrote extensively on religious matters, including plays and historical works.
Another notable figure with the name Bale was the Welsh poet and writer Henry Vaughan, also known as the "Silurist," born in 1621. His poetry often explored themes of nature, spirituality, and the human condition.
In the 18th century, Robert Bale was a British explorer and navigator who accompanied Captain James Cook on his voyages to the Pacific. He played a significant role in mapping and charting new territories during these expeditions.
One of the most famous individuals with the name Bale is the Welsh footballer Gareth Bale, born in 1989. He has achieved remarkable success playing for clubs like Real Madrid and the Welsh national team, winning numerous prestigious titles and individual awards.
Another notable figure is the American author and playwright David Bale, born in 1940. He is known for his works exploring social and political themes, including the critically acclaimed novel "Jack Gance."
People
Bale + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Bale as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with B
Other first names starting with B with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Bale: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Bale?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Bale going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Bale a common name?
We classify Bale as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Bale most popular?
The single biggest year for Bale was 2016, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Bale is about 9 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Bale in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Bale a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Bale in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Bale still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Bale in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Bale can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are called Bale?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.