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Dylan as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Dylan

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The baby name Dylan is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈdɪlən/ (DILL-ən).

Dylan is Welsh in Origin.

Gender: Male
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: Welsh
Pronunciation: /ˈdɪlən/ (DILL-ən)

What is the meaning of the name Dylan ?

The baby name Dylan is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈdɪlən/ (DILL-ən).

Dylan is Welsh in Origin.

Dylan is a Welsh given name rooted in medieval lore, formed from the elements dy "great" and llanw "tide/flow," yielding the sense "great tide" or, by extension, "sea." In the Mabinogion, the youth Dylan plunges into the ocean at his baptism and is so at one with the waves that he is later killed by an unwitting blow on the shore, cementing the name’s maritime aura.

Long used in Wales as a masculine name, Dylan spread throughout the English-speaking world in the mid-20th century, notably through the poet Dylan Thomas and, indirectly, the musician Bob Dylan. It enjoys steady popularity and has become comfortably unisex in many countries since the 1990s. Common variants and spellings include Dillon, Dillan, Dyllan, and Dylann; short forms include Dyl. Related surnames such as Dillon are often conflated but arise separately, while the core Welsh meaning remains tied to the sea.

Dylan has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Dylan

Dylan O'Brien Actor · Born 1991 · United States Dylan O'Brien is an American actor best known for his role as Stiles Stilinski in the TV series Teen Wolf. He also starred in the Maze Runner film series and appeared in the movie The Internship. Born in 1991, he has become a familiar face in both television and film. Dylan Minnette Actor · Born 1996 · United States Dylan Minnette is an American actor best known for his role as Clay Jensen in the Netflix series '13 Reasons Why'. He has also appeared in films like 'Goosebumps' and 'Don't Breathe'. Born in 1996, Dylan has made a significant impact in the entertainment industry with his versatile acting skills. Dylan McDermott Actor · Born 1961 · United States Dylan McDermott is an American actor best known for his role as Bobby Donnell in the television series 'The Practice'. He also starred in 'American Horror Story' and 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower'.
Dylan Sprouse Actor · Born 1992 · United States Dylan Sprouse is an American actor best known for his role as Zack Martin on the Disney Channel series 'The Suite Life of Zack & Cody'. Born in 1992, he starred alongside his twin brother Cole Sprouse in the show, which became a staple for many young viewers. Dylan has also appeared in films like 'Big Daddy' and 'After We Collided'. Dylan Walsh Actor · Born 1963 · United States Dylan Walsh is an American actor best known for his role as Dr. Sean McNamara in the television series 'Nip/Tuck'. He has also appeared in films like 'The Stepfather' and 'Secretariat'. Born in 1963, Walsh has had a successful career in both television and film. Dylan Baker Actor · Born 1959 · United States Dylan Baker is an American actor best known for his role as Bill Maplewood in the film Happiness. He has also appeared in movies like Road to Perdition and the Spider-Man trilogy. Born in 1959, Baker has had a successful career in both film and television.

Celebrity babies named Dylan

Name Last Name(s) Mother Mother famous for Fame Level Father Father famous for Fame Level
Dylan Farrow Mia Farrow television actor ★★★★★ Woody Allen singer ★★★★★
Dylan Lee Pamela Anderson television actor ★★★★★ Tommy Lee singer ★★★★★
Dylan Brosnan Keely Shaye Smith film director ★★★★★ Pierce Brosnan television actor ★★★★★
Dylan Douglas Catherine Zeta-Jones television actor ★★★★★ Michael Douglas television actor ★★★★★
Dylan Penn Sean Penn television actor ★★★★★
Dylan Petty Tom Petty singer ★★★★★
Dylan McDermott Eve Ensler film director ★★★★★

Dylan – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Boys 2025 #1 — 836
Germany Boys 2023 #1 — 430
Ireland Girls 2003 #1 — 735
FJ 0 #6 1 374
FJ Boys 0 #17 1 603
New Zealand Boys 2010 #26 172 99
ET Boys 0 #27 1 678
United States Boys 2024 #28 7,464 7,044
NA 0 #32 2 2,537
MT 0 #37 7 1,767
ID 0 #39 1 2,238
BI Boys 0 #44 1 917
CM 0 #49 8 2,592
HN Boys 0 #50 3 749
MO 0 #52 1 2,706
PR 0 #55 1 1,497
LU 0 #57 10 2,830
MT Boys 0 #69 139 4,064
JP 0 #74 4 4,057
CN 0 #75 11 3,857
AL 0 #76 1 2,372
Switzerland Boys 2024 #80 58 1,769
LU Boys 0 #83 167 4,970
TW 0 #90 11 4,523
JM 0 #93 1 3,714
KZ 0 #94 1 1,452
Canada Boys 2024 #97 284 2,588
EC 0 #101 15 2,502
SD 0 #102 1 2,130
QA 0 #105 2 7,011
MU Boys 0 #106 358 8,477
PH 0 #107 4 5,607
KW 0 #120 2 5,216
OM 0 #121 1 6,215
BN Boys 0 #123 11 6,332
NL Boys 0 #123 3,789 5,873
AR Boys 0 #124 1,290 7,628
Sweden Boys 2022 #128 55 1,509
ID Boys 0 #128 8 4,130
BW Boys 0 #129 21 4,685
MU 0 #129 9 3,613
IQ 0 #130 4 3,533
CY Boys 0 #131 1 3,473
PA 0 #132 7 3,797
CR Boys 0 #146 703 10,188
CR 0 #147 12 5,526
PR Boys 0 #148 27 2,508
BW Girls 0 #151 1 4,216
LT Boys 0 #151 1 2,166
ZA 0 #162 315 14,421
EC Boys 0 #168 74 3,322
HU Boys 0 #172 3 3,954
Belgium Boys 2023 #173 23 415
TW Boys 0 #173 70 7,111
ZA Boys 0 #174 3,681 25,619
France Boys 2021 #176 283 2,865
Sweden Girls 2020 #179 2 1,663
UY 0 #179 4 2,477
AE 0 #184 4 10,220
CZ 0 #186 1 3,154
AR 0 #190 4 2,915
CN Boys 0 #190 145 9,639
LU Girls 0 #190 1 4,850
RU 0 #193 2 3,641
SG 0 #196 74 11,010
MO Boys 0 #201 23 5,842
NA Boys 0 #201 35 6,830
DK 0 #203 4 5,198
CL Boys 0 #206 1,554 13,390
SI Boys 0 #211 1 3,402
UY Boys 0 #213 289 5,922
AO Girls 0 #217 1 4,575
BG Boys 0 #220 1 3,850
SG Boys 0 #221 750 17,960
PS 0 #223 4 5,692
IR 0 #229 3 4,221
CO Boys 0 #234 2,424 15,656
NA Girls 0 #236 2 7,146
NL 0 #240 158 2,481
JM Boys 0 #242 31 6,876
PA Boys 0 #242 312 9,305
AO Boys 0 #247 3 5,568
GT Boys 0 #247 301 7,625
GH 0 #248 1 5,396
PT 0 #248 3 4,161
EC Girls 0 #258 1 3,650
HR Boys 0 #259 1 3,997
PT Boys 0 #259 118 7,951
Canada Girls 2024 #260 26 2,795
GT 0 #260 55 5,948
MO Girls 0 #261 3 7,056
GR Boys 0 #273 1 6,912
IL 0 #278 5 6,291
JP Boys 0 #279 19 7,909
MY 0 #283 48 12,352
TW Girls 0 #286 4 8,139
CM Boys 0 #288 338 12,054
KZ Boys 0 #293 4 6,578
CZ Boys 0 #297 9 6,530
AL Boys 0 #299 5 5,122
MX Boys 0 #309 1,640 16,355
SA 0 #310 3 10,560
PL Boys 0 #322 14 6,459
PH Boys 0 #323 61 11,440
PE 0 #325 5 6,350
DK Boys 0 #326 7 7,401
BO 0 #332 50 6,868
BO Boys 0 #332 337 9,244
KZ Girls 0 #332 1 5,862
HK 0 #333 16 8,483
GH Girls 0 #337 1 6,973
JO Girls 0 #339 1 7,570
QA Girls 0 #340 4 15,378
CN Girls 0 #351 9 8,829
BR 0 #356 5 5,969
GH Boys 0 #356 6 8,138
MU Girls 0 #361 2 8,539
PH Girls 0 #381 10 13,098
CL 0 #385 27 6,867
JO Boys 0 #388 2 7,057
MX 0 #388 26 8,339
France Girls 2020 #391 4 3,215
PE Boys 0 #403 780 14,506
Finland Boys 0 #416 12 2,041
OM Girls 0 #424 1 15,987
Spain 0 #426 27 2,326
HK Boys 0 #428 100 12,905
Austria Boys 0 #432 11 2,180
CO 0 #435 46 7,768
IT Boys 0 #439 2,299 10,046
MY Boys 0 #453 900 25,439
SD Boys 0 #463 4 10,523
PA Girls 0 #471 11 9,861
IQ Girls 0 #472 33 11,303
Spain Boys 0 #477 596 5,610
RU Boys 0 #481 25 12,621
GT Girls 0 #494 12 7,500
UY Girls 0 #500 11 6,731
PS Boys 0 #504 45 10,655
RU Girls 0 #522 2 11,913
CM Girls 0 #528 13 11,671
IL Boys 0 #529 79 10,983
United States Girls 2024 #539 404 8,487
BH 0 #539 15 17,937
IR Boys 0 #542 11 10,162
PS Girls 0 #543 5 10,981
IR Girls 0 #545 1 8,334
Finland Boys 2026 #550 136 3,552
KW Girls 0 #557 5 19,177
LY 0 #559 1 12,703
AR Girls 0 #569 31 8,289
CR Girls 0 #569 5 11,342
SG Girls 0 #571 16 18,916
AE Girls 0 #593 5 20,968
BD Boys 0 #600 6 10,045
IQ Boys 0 #618 50 13,071
IT 0 #624 91 4,183
HK Girls 0 #642 9 16,104
IL Girls 0 #643 3 11,648
LB 0 #649 10 13,263
BR Boys 0 #675 77 12,213
QA Boys 0 #682 26 18,093
KW Boys 0 #745 25 18,755
SY 0 #763 5 11,684
TN 0 #811 19 13,765
NG Girls 0 #820 7 15,093
CL Girls 0 #825 27 14,098
OM Boys 0 #841 41 17,948
Germany Boys 0 #845 108 5,697
EG Boys 0 #873 14 15,035
NG Boys 0 #910 42 16,906
PE Girls 0 #925 19 14,861
NL Girls 0 #931 25 5,933
Spain Girls 0 #960 24 5,561
MY Girls 0 #976 19 24,821
BR Girls 0 #992 1 12,708
CO Girls 0 #992 87 16,140
SA Girls 0 #1,007 8 25,931
EG Girls 0 #1,008 2 14,742
AE Boys 0 #1,014 79 22,615
IN Boys 0 #1,031 9 16,750
DZ 0 #1,071 106 20,130
MA 0 #1,088 41 20,986
ZA Girls 0 #1,104 38 25,928
MX Girls 0 #1,121 63 17,781
TR 0 #1,163 49 19,440
IT Girls 0 #1,402 45 9,415
SA Boys 0 #1,540 75 28,008

Dylan is popular in 87 countries — most recent births per country:

Ireland
Scotland, United Kingdom
France
Canada
Wallonia, Belgium

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People also ask about Dylan

Dylan is predominantly a boy's name.
Dylan is a 2 syllable name, pronounced /ˈdɪlən/ (DILL-ən).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Dillon, Dylann, Dillan, Dylin, Dilyn and Dylana.
Yes, very popular — Dylan ranked #1 in Ireland in 2025, and appears in official birth registries across 12 countries.
Dylan ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2025).
Dylan's popularity is holding steady. It moved from #1 in 2015 to #1 in 2025 in Ireland.
Yes — 15 notable people named Dylan are in our database, including Dylan O'Brien (Actor), Dylan Minnette (Actor), Dylan McDermott (Actor).
Yes — at least 7 celebrity couples have chosen Dylan for their child, including Mia Farrow and Woody Allen.