Fun Facts About the Name Dylan
- An all-time favorite: U.S. records show 418,630 boys named Dylan from 1880 through 2025.
- An established favorite: Dylan held a place in the U.S. top 100 for 36 consecutive years, from 1990 through 2025.
- Still popular, but losing ground: Dylan's rank fell 7 places between 1995 and 2025, while remaining in the top 100.
- More than 434 thousand babies named Dylan: U.S. records list 434,897 babies given the name Dylan from 1880 through 2025. Even 16,267 girls received the name Dylan - about 1 girl for every 26 boys.
What Does the Name Dylan Mean?
Dylan is a Welsh masculine name, commonly explained as "son of the sea" or "sea-born." The name is Welsh. A common etymological explanation connects it to the Welsh word llanw, meaning "tide" or "flow," with the prefix dy-, so that the literal sense is closer to "tide" or "flowing water" than to "son." The familiar "son of the sea" comes from the legendary Dylan ail Don, a sea-associated figure in medieval Welsh storytelling; it is a customary interpretation rather than a word-for-word translation.
Dylan Name History & Origins
Dylan appears in the medieval Welsh tales known as the Mabinogion, in the branch called Math fab Mathonwy. He is the son of Arianrhod. After his baptism he goes straight to the sea and swims as well as the best fish; the sea receives him. He is called Dylan ail Don, an epithet connected with the sea, and he is later killed by his uncle Gofannon. The deed is remembered as one of the Three Unfortunate Blows of Britain. These tales are preserved in manuscripts such as the White Book of Rhydderch and the Red Book of Hergest.
The name Dylan remained in use as a Welsh given name. In the 20th century it became familiar to English speakers through the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas and the American musician Bob Dylan, who adopted his stage name in the early 1960s. These are literary and cultural associations; the name's documented use in Welsh tradition is medieval.
How Popular is the Name Dylan?
Dylan remained among the top 100 boy names in the U.S. from 1990 to 2025. Its highest annual birth count was in 2001, and people born that year turn 25 in 2026.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #808 | 338 | 0.0210% |
| 2024 | #696 | 404 | 0.0250% |
| 2023 | #650 | 451 | 0.0281% |
| 2022 | #571 | 525 | 0.0320% |
| 2021 | #567 | 536 | 0.0327% |
| 2020 | #497 | 616 | 0.0381% |
| 2019 | #436 | 729 | 0.0435% |
| 2018 | #398 | 776 | 0.0456% |
| 2017 | #354 | 894 | 0.0518% |
| 2016 | #394 | 842 | 0.0475% |
| 2015 | #399 | 815 | 0.0457% |
| 2014 | #394 | 828 | 0.0464% |
| 2013 | #490 | 613 | 0.0349% |
| 2012 | #512 | 595 | 0.0338% |
| 2011 | #496 | 598 | 0.0340% |
| 2010 | #576 | 508 | 0.0286% |
| 2009 | #559 | 546 | 0.0297% |
| 2008 | #527 | 581 | 0.0307% |
| 2007 | #693 | 420 | 0.0218% |
| 2006 | #735 | 380 | 0.0200% |
| 2005 | #608 | 468 | 0.0253% |
| 2004 | #475 | 620 | 0.0338% |
| 2003 | #502 | 572 | 0.0313% |
| 2002 | #883 | 256 | 0.0142% |
| 2001 | #1,068 | 199 | 0.0111% |
| 2000 | #1,435 | 128 | 0.0070% |
| 1999 | #1,372 | 129 | 0.0073% |
| 1998 | #1,099 | 175 | 0.0099% |
| 1997 | #1,043 | 183 | 0.0105% |
| 1996 | #1,152 | 158 | 0.0090% |
| 1995 | #1,040 | 174 | 0.0099% |
| 1994 | #915 | 207 | 0.0116% |
| 1993 | #792 | 257 | 0.0142% |
| 1992 | #1,101 | 163 | 0.0088% |
| 1991 | #1,386 | 116 | 0.0062% |
| 1990 | #1,850 | 77 | 0.0041% |
| 1989 | #2,032 | 62 | 0.0034% |
| 1988 | #2,101 | 55 | 0.0031% |
| 1987 | #2,676 | 37 | 0.0021% |
| 1986 | #2,744 | 35 | 0.0020% |
| 1985 | #3,648 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 1984 | #3,766 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 1983 | #3,717 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 1982 | #7,040 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1981 | #3,766 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 1980 | #4,573 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 1979 | #5,849 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1978 | #7,123 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1977 | #10,045 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1976 | #9,696 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1975 | #6,673 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1974 | #5,456 | 10 | 0.0007% |
| 1973 | #8,791 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1972 | #7,533 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1971 | #5,652 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1970 | #5,504 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1969 | #5,156 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1967 | #7,061 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #41 | 6,208 | 0.3634% |
| 2024 | #28 | 7,464 | 0.4351% |
| 2023 | #34 | 7,072 | 0.4139% |
| 2022 | #42 | 6,738 | 0.3863% |
| 2021 | #44 | 6,762 | 0.3868% |
| 2020 | #42 | 6,855 | 0.3974% |
| 2019 | #39 | 7,555 | 0.4213% |
| 2018 | #31 | 8,610 | 0.4743% |
| 2017 | #29 | 9,315 | 0.5034% |
| 2016 | #32 | 9,719 | 0.5123% |
| 2015 | #27 | 10,298 | 0.5374% |
| 2014 | #29 | 10,416 | 0.5424% |
| 2013 | #29 | 10,127 | 0.5355% |
| 2012 | #31 | 10,000 | 0.5273% |
| 2011 | #33 | 9,790 | 0.5155% |
| 2010 | #31 | 10,518 | 0.5483% |
| 2009 | #30 | 11,372 | 0.5734% |
| 2008 | #31 | 11,707 | 0.5739% |
| 2007 | #29 | 12,811 | 0.6173% |
| 2006 | #26 | 13,171 | 0.6409% |
| 2005 | #24 | 13,782 | 0.6901% |
| 2004 | #19 | 14,852 | 0.7483% |
| 2003 | #19 | 15,703 | 0.7950% |
| 2002 | #23 | 14,821 | 0.7634% |
| 2001 | #21 | 16,497 | 0.8491% |
| 2000 | #24 | 15,405 | 0.7844% |
| 1999 | #23 | 15,981 | 0.8323% |
| 1998 | #25 | 14,540 | 0.7607% |
| 1997 | #30 | 12,968 | 0.6879% |
| 1996 | #33 | 12,037 | 0.6355% |
| 1995 | #34 | 12,091 | 0.6352% |
| 1994 | #32 | 12,530 | 0.6486% |
| 1993 | #32 | 12,687 | 0.6469% |
| 1992 | #28 | 15,063 | 0.7541% |
| 1991 | #46 | 9,763 | 0.4832% |
| 1990 | #83 | 4,414 | 0.2149% |
| 1989 | #115 | 2,853 | 0.1426% |
| 1988 | #137 | 2,158 | 0.1127% |
| 1987 | #141 | 1,997 | 0.1070% |
| 1986 | #149 | 1,833 | 0.0995% |
| 1985 | #188 | 1,331 | 0.0720% |
| 1984 | #231 | 971 | 0.0538% |
| 1983 | #266 | 777 | 0.0433% |
| 1982 | #290 | 700 | 0.0386% |
| 1981 | #283 | 729 | 0.0407% |
| 1980 | #265 | 822 | 0.0461% |
| 1979 | #305 | 639 | 0.0371% |
| 1978 | #351 | 480 | 0.0292% |
| 1977 | #338 | 530 | 0.0323% |
| 1976 | #387 | 399 | 0.0254% |
| 1975 | #366 | 453 | 0.0290% |
| 1974 | #395 | 384 | 0.0244% |
| 1973 | #474 | 277 | 0.0178% |
| 1972 | #454 | 302 | 0.0186% |
| 1971 | #509 | 257 | 0.0145% |
| 1970 | #457 | 315 | 0.0170% |
| 1969 | #514 | 228 | 0.0127% |
| 1968 | #686 | 121 | 0.0070% |
| 1967 | #911 | 63 | 0.0036% |
| 1966 | #928 | 62 | 0.0035% |
| 1965 | #1,084 | 47 | 0.0025% |
| 1964 | #1,266 | 38 | 0.0019% |
| 1963 | #1,360 | 33 | 0.0016% |
| 1962 | #1,825 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 1961 | #1,414 | 32 | 0.0015% |
| 1960 | #1,257 | 39 | 0.0018% |
| 1959 | #1,447 | 30 | 0.0014% |
| 1958 | #1,695 | 22 | 0.0010% |
| 1957 | #2,531 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1956 | #2,680 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1955 | #2,337 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1954 | #3,240 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1953 | #3,531 | 6 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Dylan
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
Most Popular Boy Names at All Time
Established Favorite Boy Names
Falling Favorite Boy Names
Explore More Lists with Name Dylan
Most Popular Boy Names That Start with D
Short Boy Names That Start with D
How the Name Dylan Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are strong in material matters, determined and stubborn. You have good business ability. You are a good worker, steady and practical, a builder who takes responsibility well. These qualities may bring you a position of authority and power. You are a doer, down-to-earth, serious-minded, reliable, and self-disciplined; have good power of concentration. You are inventive, intuitive and extremely methodical. Since your will is so strong, you are hard to convince. You also dislike advice. You love beauty and philosophy, and you desire achievement. You have a strong need for freedom - physical, mental and spiritual.
You are always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are basically peacemaker. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your love, ideals, wealth or work. You can be very sensitive and could appear a bit shy and perceptive. You have developed intuition, patience and the ability to nurture others. You can achieve the state of happiness if you are willing to accept your needs in a complimentary relationship and go to create them.
✦ Dylan's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Dylan's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.