About the name Dylan
The origin of Dylan is debated, and we couldn't confirm its meaning from a sourced etymology. A commonly cited theory links it to Welsh roots, with the meaning “Son of the sea”. Treat that as a theory, not a settled fact.
Why we say this: we only state a meaning as fact when a sourced etymology (Wiktionary, with its references) supports it. For Dylan we didn't find one we were confident in, so we show the popular explanation as a theory.
It has a modern feel. In 2025, Dylan ranked #41 for boys in the US, with 6,208 babies given the name. Its peak year since 1940 was 2001. Since 2000, 95% of US babies named Dylan were boys.
- US rank 2025
- #41
- In 2015
- #27
- Babies in 2025
- 6,208
Popularity of Dylan, 1940–2025
Latest SSA data: 2025.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby names (public domain; names given to at least 5 babies of one sex per year).
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Dylan
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Names similar to Dylan
Name meanings marked or linked “Wiktionary” are adapted from Wiktionary by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; each name page links its source entry.