Namewise

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 2025, Ben was ranked #487 and Dylan #72 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 155 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.

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 · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Ben held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Dylan in 23.

    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, 2025: Ben #487, Dylan #72.

  • 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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Ben

Pairs where Ben shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Dylan

Pairs where Dylan shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Northern Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Northern Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Ben, Dylan
FieldBenDylan
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningA 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.
OriginHebrew/Germanic, short formWelsh
Pronunciation/ˈbɛn//ˈdɪlən/
Syllables12
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #40 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #69 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2004 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #487 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Dylan

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1980–2020

    Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in New Zealand, in 1992 (recorded 1980–2020).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2006 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls