Cathal vs Dylan
Cathal 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 2022, Cathal was ranked #3449 and Dylan #64 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Cathal was ranked #90 and Dylan #69 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Cathal was ranked #136 and Dylan #154 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Cathal and Dylan over time
Cathal and Dylan appear together in 3 published lists, across 106 years of shared records. Dylan held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Cathal 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.
Cathal reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Dylan 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 moved ahead of the other
In 2024, Cathal moved ahead of Dylan in Northern Ireland · Boys — #139 and #98 the year before became #136 and #154.
- Longest-running competitions
Cathal and Dylan were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 55 years, from 1969 to 2025, ending at #90 and #69.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Cathal #31 in 1998, Dylan #7 in 1998.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys55 shared years, 1969–2025
Cathal held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Dylan in 33.
Highest recorded here: Cathal #31 in 1998, Dylan #7 in 1998.
The order changed in 1993: Dylan moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #55 and #70; by 1993 that had become #47 and #33.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Cathal #90, Dylan #69.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Cathal held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Dylan in 27.
Highest recorded here: Cathal #78 in 1997, Dylan #7 in 2001.
The order changed in 2024: Cathal moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #139 and #98; by 2024 that had become #136 and #154.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Cathal #136, Dylan #154.
England and Wales · Boys23 shared years, 1996–2022
Cathal held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Dylan in 23.
Highest recorded here: Cathal #809 in 1997, Dylan #16 in 2010.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Cathal #3449, Dylan #64.
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 | Cathal | 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, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #90 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #69 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Dylan has a recorded origin (Welsh); Cathal does not have one recorded yet.
- Cathal and Dylan both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Dylan; Cathal doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Cathal
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #96 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #31 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1998 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #90 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