Archie vs Dylan
Archie and Dylancompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Archie was ranked #10 and Dylan #64 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Archie was ranked #10 and Dylan #104 among boys in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2022, Archie was ranked #14 and Dylan #91 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Archie was ranked #20 and Dylan #154 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2020, Archie was ranked #21 and Dylan #80 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Archie was ranked #46 and Dylan #69 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Archie and Dylan over time
Archie and Dylan appear together in 5 published lists, across 103 years of shared records. Dylan held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Archie in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 5 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Dylan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Archie in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- One took the other's place near the top
In New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Archie moved into the top 50 at #39 in 2013 as Dylan fell out of it to #65, having been #32 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2012, Archie moved ahead of Dylan in England and Wales · Boys — #24 and #21 the year before became #23 and #28.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Archie and Dylan averaged 34.4 places apart, ending at #10 and #64.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Archie held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Dylan in 16.
Highest recorded here: Archie #9 in 2020, Dylan #16 in 2010.
The order changed in 2012: Archie moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #24 and #21; by 2012 that had become #23 and #28.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Archie #10, Dylan #64.
Republic of Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 2001–2025
Archie held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Dylan in 23.
Highest recorded here: Archie #46 in 2025, Dylan #8 in 2001.
The order changed in 2025: Archie moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #51 and #39; by 2025 that had become #46 and #69.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Archie #46, Dylan #69.
Northern Ireland · Boys23 shared years, 2002–2024
Archie held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Dylan in 15.
Highest recorded here: Archie #18 in 2020, Dylan #8 in 2004.
The order changed in 2017: Archie moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #55 and #32; by 2017 that had become #32 and #53.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Archie #20, Dylan #154.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys15 shared years, 2007–2022
Archie held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Dylan in 6.
Highest recorded here: Archie #14 in 2022, Dylan #29 in 2007.
The order changed in 2013: Archie moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #42 and #32; by 2013 that had become #39 and #65.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Archie #14, Dylan #91.
New Zealand · Boys12 shared years, 2008–2020
Archie held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Dylan in 6.
Highest recorded here: Archie #21 in 2020, Dylan #24 in 2008.
The order changed in 2015: Archie moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #53 and #51; by 2015 that had become #46 and #50.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Archie #21, Dylan #80.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Archie | Dylan |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Genuine, bold; from Germanic elements meaning roughly 'genuinely brave'. | Traditionally associated with the sea/tide — popularly glossed as 'great tide' or 'born from the sea', reflecting the mythological figure's role. Some scholars theorise the figure may reflect an earlier, otherwise unattested Celtic sea god — treat as a proposed origin, not settled fact. |
| Origin | Germanic, via Archibald | Welsh |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɑɹtʃi/ | /ˈdɪlən/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Archy, Archibald | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #26 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #69 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Archie is recorded with a Germanic, via Archibald origin, while Dylan is recorded with a Welsh origin.
- Archie and Dylan both have 2 syllables.
- Archie's recorded meaning differs from Dylan's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Archie a "high" Data Confidence level and Dylan a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Archie
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #192 among boys in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #9 among boys in England and Wales, in 2020 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #26 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Dylan
Popularity journey
First recorded1969
First recorded at #246 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1969 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1980–2020
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in New Zealand, in 1992 (recorded 1980–2020).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #69 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys