Charlie vs Dylan
Charlie 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 Zealand · Boys
In 2020, Charlie was ranked #7 and Dylan #80 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Charlie was ranked #8 and Dylan #154 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2022, Charlie was ranked #10 and Dylan #91 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Charlie was ranked #13 and Dylan #69 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Charlie was ranked #17 and Dylan #64 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Charlie was ranked #19 and Dylan #104 among boys in Scotland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Charlie was ranked #315 and Dylan #790 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2003, Charlie was ranked #362 and Dylan #655 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Charlie was ranked #837 and Dylan #1743 among girls in England and Wales.
Charlie and Dylan over time
Charlie and Dylan appear together in 6 published lists, across 156 years of shared records. Charlie held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Dylan in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 4 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 5 of those lists, Charlie 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 2007, Charlie moved ahead of Dylan in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #30 and #26 the year before became #28 and #29.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Charlie and Dylan averaged 22.2 places apart, ending at #17 and #64.
- Longest-running competitions
Charlie and Dylan were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 33 years, from 1983 to 2025, ending at #13 and #69.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Charlie #4 in 2012, Dylan #16 in 2010.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys33 shared years, 1983–2025
Charlie held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Dylan in 20.
Highest recorded here: Charlie #5 in 2022, Dylan #7 in 1998.
The order changed in 2013: Charlie moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #12 and #9; by 2013 that had become #15 and #20.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charlie #13, Dylan #69.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Charlie held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Dylan in 2.
Highest recorded here: Charlie #4 in 2012, Dylan #16 in 2010.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Charlie #17, Dylan #64.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Charlie held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Dylan in 12.
Highest recorded here: Charlie #3 in 2013, Dylan #7 in 2001.
The order changed in 2009: Charlie moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #10 and #8; by 2009 that had become #7 and #11.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Charlie #8, Dylan #154.
England and Wales · Girls26 shared years, 1996–2024
Charlie held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Dylan in 0.
Highest recorded here: Charlie #88 in 2003, Dylan #1454 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Charlie #837, Dylan #1743.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys22 shared years, 2000–2022
Charlie held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Dylan in 7.
Highest recorded here: Charlie #10 in 2022, Dylan #15 in 2001.
The order changed in 2007: Charlie moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #30 and #26; by 2007 that had become #28 and #29.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Charlie #10, Dylan #91.
New Zealand · Boys18 shared years, 2003–2020
Charlie held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Dylan in 7.
Highest recorded here: Charlie #7 in 2020, Dylan #16 in 2004.
The order changed in 2010: Charlie moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #33 and #27; by 2010 that had become #26 and #30.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Charlie #7, Dylan #80.
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 | Charlie | Dylan |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | A diminutive of Charles, ultimately interpreted as 'man' or, by an alternative theory, 'army'. | 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 | English, via Germanic Karl | Welsh |
| Pronunciation | /ˈtʃɑːli/ | /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 #12 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #69 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 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
- Charlie is recorded with a English, via Germanic Karl origin, while Dylan is recorded with a Welsh origin.
- Charlie and Dylan both have 2 syllables.
- Charlie'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
Charlie
Popularity journey
First recorded1983
First recorded at #282 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1983 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2013 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #12 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