Charles vs Dylan
Charles 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, Charles was ranked #119 and Dylan #64 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Charles was ranked #188 and Dylan #69 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2022, Charles was ranked #74 and Dylan #91 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2020, Charles was ranked #87 and Dylan #80 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Charles was ranked #160 and Dylan #104 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Charles was ranked #144 and Dylan #154 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Charles and Dylan over time
Charles and Dylan appear together in 5 published lists, across 177 years of shared records. Dylan held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Charles 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.
Charles reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Dylan 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 moved ahead of the other
In 2000, Dylan moved ahead of Charles in England and Wales · Boys — #41 and #46 the year before became #44 and #37.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Charles and Dylan averaged 29.4 places apart, ending at #119 and #64.
- Longest-running competitions
Charles and Dylan were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 30 years, from 1988 to 2022, ending at #74 and #91.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Charles #75 in 2000, Dylan #7 in 2001.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys55 shared years, 1969–2025
Charles held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Dylan in 35.
Highest recorded here: Charles #66 in 1969, Dylan #7 in 1998.
The order changed in 1991: Dylan moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #108 and #132; by 1991 that had become #121 and #85.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charles #188, Dylan #69.
New Zealand · Boys35 shared years, 1980–2020
Charles held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Dylan in 31.
Highest recorded here: Charles #58 in 2008, Dylan #7 in 1992.
The order changed in 2020: Dylan moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #83 and #87; by 2020 that had become #87 and #80.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Charles #87, Dylan #80.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys30 shared years, 1988–2022
Charles held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Dylan in 27.
Highest recorded here: Charles #63 in 2018, Dylan #13 in 1996.
The order changed in 2020: Charles moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #82 and #80; by 2020 that had become #67 and #93.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Charles #74, Dylan #91.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Charles held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Dylan in 25.
Highest recorded here: Charles #41 in 1998, Dylan #16 in 2010.
The order changed in 2000: Dylan moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #41 and #46; by 2000 that had become #44 and #37.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Charles #119, Dylan #64.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Charles held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Dylan in 27.
Highest recorded here: Charles #75 in 2000, Dylan #7 in 2001.
The order changed in 2024: Charles moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #200 and #98; by 2024 that had become #144 and #154.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Charles #144, Dylan #154.
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 | Charles | 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 | 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 | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #94 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #69 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Dylan has a recorded origin (Welsh); Charles does not have one recorded yet.
- Charles and Dylan both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Dylan; Charles doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Charles
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #224 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #41 among boys in England and Wales, in 1998 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #94 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