Ben vs Dylan
Ben 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.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2004, Ben was ranked #99 and Dylan #18 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2011, Ben was ranked #79 and Dylan #39 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Ben was ranked #40 and Dylan #69 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #509 and Dylan #64 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #121 and Dylan #104 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #125 and Dylan #154 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Ben and Dylan over time
Ben and Dylan appear together in 5 published lists, across 154 years of shared records. Dylan held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Ben in 0.
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 3 of those lists, Ben in 2. 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 Republic of Ireland · Boys, Ben moved into the top 50 at #40 in 2025 as Dylan fell out of it to #69, having been #39 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2004, Dylan moved ahead of Ben in England and Wales · Boys — #26 and #28 the year before became #27 and #21.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ben and Dylan changed places 9 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #125 and #154.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 31 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Ben and Dylan averaged 37.8 places apart, ending at #79 and #39.
- Longest-running competitions
Ben and Dylan were both ranked in New Zealand · Boys for 31 years, from 1981 to 2011, ending at #79 and #39.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys47 shared years, 1978–2025
Ben held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Dylan in 43.
Highest recorded here: Ben #14 in 2005, Dylan #7 in 1998.
The order changed in 2025: Ben moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #41 and #39; by 2025 that had become #40 and #69.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ben #40, Dylan #69.
New Zealand · Boys31 shared years, 1981–2011
Ben held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Dylan in 29.
Highest recorded here: Ben #38 in 2002, Dylan #7 in 1992.
The order changed in 1985: Dylan moved ahead. In 1984 they stood at #62 and #68; by 1985 that had become #59 and #49.
Most recent shared year, 2011: Ben #79, Dylan #39.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Dylan in 22.
Highest recorded here: Ben #21 in 2002, Dylan #16 in 2010.
The order changed in 2004: Dylan moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #26 and #28; by 2004 that had become #27 and #21.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #509, Dylan #64.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Dylan in 19.
Highest recorded here: Ben #6 in 2004, Dylan #7 in 2001.
The order changed in 2024: Ben moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #145 and #98; by 2024 that had become #125 and #154.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #125, Dylan #154.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys19 shared years, 1983–2004
Ben held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Dylan in 13.
Highest recorded here: Ben #52 in 1984, Dylan #12 in 1995.
The order changed in 1989: Dylan moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #61 and #64; by 1989 that had become #71 and #59.
Most recent shared year, 2004: Ben #99, Dylan #18.
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 | Ben | Dylan |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | A short form of Benjamin, Benedict and other names beginning with 'Ben'; in Dutch, can also be short for Bernhard. | 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 | Hebrew/Germanic, short form | Welsh |
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɛn/ | /ˈdɪlən/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #40 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #69 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Ben is recorded with a Hebrew/Germanic, short form origin, while Dylan is recorded with a Welsh origin.
- Ben has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Dylan.
- Ben'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.
How each name got here
Ben
Popularity journey
First recorded1950
First recorded at #376 among boys in Norway in 1950 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2004 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #40 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · 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