Dylan
Dylan was the 41st most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 6,208 babies. Its best year was 2003, when it ranked 19th; the most babies were born in 2001 (16,497). Over the last ten years it has moved down 14 places. More babies were named Dylan in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Meaning Origin uncertain · Welsh
Say it DIL-un /ˈdɪlən/
- Rank in 2025
- #41 boys, up 1 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 6,208boys
- Girls and boys
- 6% girls, 94% boys2021–2025
- Peak year
- 200116,497 babies
- Total since 1880
- 434,951babies recorded
What does the name Dylan mean?
Dylan comes from Welsh legend: Dylan ail Don is a sea-linked figure in the fourth branch of the Mabinogi. The meaning is uncertain. 'Son of the sea' and 'great tide' are often given, but Wiktionary marks the Celtic derivation as only possible. Wiktionary also notes that Dylan is unrelated to the Irish surname Dillon despite the shared sound.
Dylan (Middle Welsh, “character in the Mabinogi”)
How sure is this? Uncertain. The meaning is not established. Wikipedia derives the name from Welsh dy 'great' + llanw 'tide', citing the Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru; Wiktionary treats the Celtic derivation as only possible.
See also: Welsh names.
Dylan popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #808 | #41 | 338 | 6,208 |
| 2020 | #497 | #42 | 616 | 6,857 |
| 2010 | #576 | #31 | 508 | 10,520 |
| 2000 | #1,436 | #24 | 128 | 15,405 |
| 1990 | #1,850 | #83 | 77 | 4,414 |
| 1980 | #4,573 | #265 | 16 | 822 |
| 1970 | #5,504 | #457 | 9 | 314 |
| 1960 | — | #1,257 | — | 39 |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
How popular is Dylan, counting every spelling?
Dylan is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #40 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #41 for Dylan on its own. Together these spellings went to 6,834 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dylan | 6,208 | #41 | 34,281 |
| Dilan | 309 | #805 | 1,635 |
| Dillon | 253 | #930 | 1,632 |
| Dillan | 28 | #3,871 | 227 |
| Dyllan | 11 | #7,321 | 90 |
| Dylon | 11 | #7,322 | 90 |
| Dylen | 6 | #11,021 | 41 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Dylan?
6,208 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Dylan (1.72 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Dylan born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is about 1 in 31. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 1 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Dylan.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Dylan?
About 409,900 people born in the US named Dylan are alive today, with a median age of 22; half are between 13 and 29. That makes Dylan mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Dylan by state
How common Dylan was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in District of Columbia (2.2×), Maryland (2.0×), New Jersey (1.9×), Florida (1.8×), Delaware (1.8×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Wyoming, West Virginia, Montana.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Dylan: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Dylan, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Dylan · Sibling names for Dylan
Questions about the name Dylan
What does Dylan mean?
The origin of Dylan is uncertain: the meaning is not established. Wikipedia derives the name from Welsh dy 'great' + llanw 'tide', citing the Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru; Wiktionary treats the Celtic derivation as only possible.
How popular is the name Dylan?
Dylan was the 41st most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 6,208 babies. Its best year was 2003, when it ranked 19th; the most babies were born in 2001 (16,497). Over the last ten years it has moved down 14 places. More babies were named Dylan in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Is Dylan a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, 6% girls, 94% boys given the name Dylan in the US.
Where is Dylan most popular?
In 2021–2025, Dylan was most common in District of Columbia (8.67 per 1,000 boys), followed by Maryland and New Jersey.