The nameDylan
Dylan is a boy's name of Welsh origin linked to the sea. Made famous by the poet Dylan Thomas, it spread worldwide from the 1960s.
- Boy's name
- Welsh
Meaning
Dylan is often understood as "son of the sea" or "great tide", from Welsh roots linked to the sea and its waves. Its exact meaning is discussed.
Origin
Welsh. In the Mabinogion, the medieval Welsh tales, Dylan ail Don is a sea-god who plunges into the ocean as soon as he is born.
History
The Welsh poet Dylan Thomas made the name known in the 1940s and 1950s. Robert Zimmerman took the stage name Bob Dylan in his honour, which helped the name spread from the 1960s.
Dylan in other languages
Dylan is spelled the same in English, French and Welsh. The Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, then the American singer Bob Dylan, who took his stage name from him, made it famous.
Did you know?
- In 2016 Bob Dylan became the first songwriter to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.
- In the Welsh tales of the Mabinogion, Dylan is a being of the sea who plunges into the waves as soon as he is born.
- Dylan Thomas wrote the poem Do not go gentle into that good night for his dying father.
Famous people named Dylan
- Dylan Thomas, poet
- Bob Dylan, singer and songwriter (stage name)
- Dylan O'Brien, actor
Popularity of the name Dylan
Dylan in the United States
Dylan was most popular in the United States in the 2000s, with 144,291 births over the decade, 34% of all recorded babies named Dylan. Its rise began around 1986, and it peaked in 2001. Half of all babies named Dylan in the United States were born before 2004. Over the last five years on record, it has been falling: 7,485 births a year on average, against 9,911 in the five years before.
Dylan in the United Kingdom
Dylan was most popular in the United Kingdom in the 2000s, with 34,228 births over the decade, 48% of all recorded babies named Dylan. Half of all babies named Dylan in the United Kingdom were born before 2008, so it is mostly a name of today's children and teenagers. Over the last five years on record, it has been falling: 964 births a year on average, against 1,635 in the five years before.
Dylan in Ireland
Dylan in France
Dylan in Belgium
Dylan in Switzerland
Variants and related names
Sibling names for Dylan
Names from the same generation as Dylan, whose popularity in the United States has followed a similar path.
How many people are named Dylan? See the counter → · What would your name be in 1950? · Name origin quiz
Compare Dylan with another name
Meaning, origin and popularity of Dylan side by side with the name of your choice.
Dylan in our baby name lists
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Dylan mean?
Dylan is often understood as "son of the sea" or "great tide", from Welsh roots linked to the sea and its waves. Its exact meaning is discussed.
What is the origin of the name Dylan?
Welsh. In the Mabinogion, the medieval Welsh tales, Dylan ail Don is a sea-god who plunges into the ocean as soon as he is born.
Is Dylan a girl's or a boy's name?
Dylan is a boy's name.
How popular is the name Dylan?
In 2024, Dylan was the 28th most popular name for baby boys in the United States, with 7,464 births.
What are the variants of the name Dylan?
Variants and related names of Dylan include Dilan.
What are good sibling names for Dylan?
Names from the same generation, with a similar popularity in the United States: Elizabeth, Grace, Abigail and Victoria for a sister, Samuel, John, Daniel and David for a brother.
Who are famous people named Dylan?
Dylan Thomas, poet; Bob Dylan, singer and songwriter (stage name); Dylan O'Brien, actor.