How to say it
DAL · las
/ˈdæl.əs/
Unisex
Dallas
Meadow dwelling
What it means
Scottish Gaelic dalais ('meadow dwelling') or a Scottish surname from the village of Dallas in Moray. Now overwhelmingly associated with Dallas, Texas (founded 1841) and the long-running TV soap opera Dallas (1978-1991, 2012-2014).
Dallas has two roots that converged in modern US use. The Scottish Dallas comes from the Gaelic dalais ('meadow dwelling') or directly from the Scottish village of Dallas in Moray, an old surname tied to the Dallas family. Dallas, Texas (founded 1841, the ninth-most-populous US city) overwhelmingly dominates the modern reading; the name's origin is disputed but the most cited theory ties it to George Mifflin Dallas (1792-1864), the 11th US Vice President under James K. Polk. The TV soap opera Dallas (1978-1991 original run, 2012-2014 reboot) featuring J.R. Ewing and the 'Who shot J.R.?' cliffhanger is the deepest English-language pop-culture anchor. As a US first name Dallas is unisex with a slight masculine lean, modern and Texan in flavor. It entered the US top 200 in 2007. Single short forms aren't common.
Popularity over time
Feminine: peaked at #529 in 1994, currently #687 in 2025.
Masculine: peaked at #214 in 1995, currently #238 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pop culture
Dallas, Texas (the city) and Dallas (the TV soap, 1978-1991) overwhelmingly drive the cultural reading; the Scottish village root is the deeper historical reference.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Dallas (TV series) CBS prime-time soap opera, 1978-1991, with the 1980 'Who shot J.R.?' cliffhanger
Spelling variants
- Dallis
- Dallys
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