Dylan

Dylan - A unique male name

Dylan appeared on the charts for the first time in 1958 on position #1636. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Dylan and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Dylan? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Dylan. The baby boy name Dylan was given to 6,197 baby boys in 2025, ranking #41 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 237 baby boys were given this name - making this a unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Dylan peaked in popularity 23 years ago in 2003 on position 19.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Dylan, 1-5?

Dylan is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Dylan is currently topping the baby name charts in Florida at position #11 - and is the least popular in West Virginia at position #232.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Dylan is where you live.

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Dylan origin and meaning

Welsh

Son of the sea (or 'great tide')

In Welsh mythology Dylan was a figure of the sea, son of the wave. The poet Dylan Thomas carried the name out of Wales, and Bob Dylan — born Robert Zimmerman — adopted his stage name in the poet's honour, sending Dylan around the world.

Attested etymology

Dylan is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Dylan, pop culture references for the name Dylan and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Dylan

We've found the following names that sound similar to Dylan, sorted by popularity.

Dillon / Dillan / Dilan / Dallin / Dylon / Daylen / Dillion / Delano / Dyllan / Daylon /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Dylan

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Dylan a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Dylan?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

DIL-un · /ˈdɪlən/

Around the world

• Dylan (Welsh) — The original — in Welsh it sounds close to DIL-un, with the sea-god of the Mabinogion behind it.

Spellings and nicknames

• Dillon — The Irish surname spelling, charting separately.
• Dylen — Respelling with an e.

Nicknames: Dyl

Famous bearers

• Dylan Thomas — Welsh poet (Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night) (1914–1953) Historical
• Bob Dylan — Musician and Nobel laureate — born Robert Zimmerman; he took 'Dylan' as a stage surname in the poet's honour (b. 1941) Contemporary

Style

LiteraryInternational

Why parents choose it

Dylan is a Welsh sea-name that conquered the world through two artists: the poet who bore it, and the singer who borrowed it for the poet. Parents choose it for artistic, windswept character.

Worth knowing

• Bob Dylan's Dylan is a chosen stage name, not a birth name — the fame pipeline for this name is a tribute, which the pilot note already tells.
• Dylan vs Dillon spelling needs stating.