Bobby vs Dylan
Bobby 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.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Bobby was ranked #30 and Dylan #69 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Bobby was ranked #82 and Dylan #64 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Bobby was ranked #78 and Dylan #154 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Bobby was ranked #246 and Dylan #104 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Bobby was ranked #3015 and Dylan #1743 among girls in England and Wales.
Bobby and Dylan over time
Bobby and Dylan appear together in 4 published lists, across 119 years of shared records. Dylan held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Bobby in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 2 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, Bobby in 1. 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 moved ahead of the other
In 2022, Bobby moved ahead of Dylan in Northern Ireland · Boys — #92 and #81 the year before became #82 and #115.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Bobby and Dylan changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #3015 and #1743.
- Longest-running competitions
Bobby and Dylan were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 41 years, from 1980 to 2025, ending at #30 and #69.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Bobby #57 in 2012, Dylan #16 in 2010.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys41 shared years, 1980–2025
Bobby held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Dylan in 36.
Highest recorded here: Bobby #27 in 2020, Dylan #7 in 1998.
The order changed in 2022: Bobby moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #34 and #26; by 2022 that had become #31 and #33.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Bobby #30, Dylan #69.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Bobby held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Dylan in 29.
Highest recorded here: Bobby #57 in 2012, Dylan #16 in 2010.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bobby #82, Dylan #64.
Northern Ireland · Boys25 shared years, 1998–2024
Bobby held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Dylan in 22.
Highest recorded here: Bobby #59 in 2013, Dylan #7 in 2001.
The order changed in 2022: Bobby moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #92 and #81; by 2022 that had become #82 and #115.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bobby #78, Dylan #154.
England and Wales · Girls24 shared years, 1996–2024
Bobby held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Dylan in 18.
Highest recorded here: Bobby #1530 in 2002, Dylan #1454 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bobby #3015, Dylan #1743.
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 | Bobby | Dylan |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | 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 | Not yet recorded | Welsh |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈdɪlən/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #30 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #69 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Dylan has a recorded origin (Welsh); Bobby does not have one recorded yet.
- Bobby and Dylan both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Dylan; Bobby doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Bobby
Popularity journey
First recorded1980
First recorded at #321 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1980 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1980–2025
Highest recorded position: #27 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2020 (recorded 1980–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #30 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