Dylan
Meaninggreat tide · Welsh
- US rank
- #41
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #19 in 2004
6,208 babies were named Dylan in the US in 2025. It has climbed 1 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1967–2025
US births per million boys, 1953–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Dylan you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Dylan
Dylan Thomas
Welsh poet and writer (1914–1953)
Choose Dylan and your child shares a first name with Dylan Thomas, a Welsh poet and writer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Dylan, like who?” Dylan Thomas's Wikipedia article is available in 76 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Dylan Thomas on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Nora Summers, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 275 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Dylan, 6,208 babies in all. In a school of 500 kids, there'd probably be one other Dylan.
- HistoryDylan first shows up in US birth records in 1953, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 72 years since.
- Best yearIts best year was 2004, when it reached #19.
- Then vs nowDylan was 2.2× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 127 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 275.
- Where it's lovedDylan is most popular in Florida, where it ranks #11, followed by Maryland (#13) and New Jersey (#18). It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
- MeaningIn Welsh, Dylan means “great tide”.
- OriginDylan is the #2 most popular Welsh boy name in the US. That's out of 564 Welsh boy and unisex names in our list.
About the name Dylan
Dylan is a boy name of Welsh origin meaning “great tide”. It has 5 letters and 2 syllables, starting with D and ending in “-lan”. US birth records list Dylan for boys from 1953 to 2025, in 73 of those 73 years. Its best year was 2004, when it ranked #19 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #41, with 6,208 babies.
Origin:Welsh names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.8 | 361,446 girls |
| 1970s | 4.9 | 204,499 girls |
| 1980s | 17 | 58,072 girls |
| 1990s | 91 | 10,933 girls |
| 2000s | 225 | 4,444 girls |
| 2010s | 412 | 2,429 girls |
| 2020s | 295 | 3,387 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 6.6 | 152,174 boys |
| 1960s | 37 | 26,874 boys |
| 1970s | 245 | 4,076 boys |
| 1980s | 756 | 1,322 boys |
| 1990s | 6,299 | 159 boys |
| 2000s | 7,035 | 142 boys |
| 2010s | 5,117 | 195 boys |
| 2020s | 3,970 | 252 boys |
Other spellings of Dylan
More Welsh boy names
- Unisex name: Owen · well-born
- Unisex name: Rowan · little red-haired one
- Boy name: Arthur · possibly bear
- Unisex name: Kai · sea
- Boy name: Bryson · son of Brice
- Boy name: Evan · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Maddox · son of Madoc
- Boy name: Griffin · strong lord
Questions about the name Dylan
What does the name Dylan mean?
Dylan means “great tide” in Welsh.
What is the origin of the name Dylan?
Dylan has Welsh roots in our records. Other Welsh names include Owen, Rowan, Arthur.
Is Dylan a boy or girl name?
Dylan is a boy name, though a few girls get it too.
How popular is the name Dylan?
Dylan ranked #41 for US boys in 2025, given to 6,208 babies. Its best year was 2004 (#19).