Dylan vs Ethan
Dylan and Ethancompared 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 2022, Dylan was ranked #91 and Ethan #24 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2020, Dylan was ranked #80 and Ethan #29 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Dylan was ranked #64 and Ethan #48 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Dylan was ranked #69 and Ethan #51 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Dylan was ranked #104 and Ethan #54 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Dylan was ranked #154 and Ethan #57 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Dylan and Ethan over time
Dylan and Ethan appear together in 5 published lists, across 156 years of shared records. Ethan held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Dylan in 1.
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 5 of those lists, and Ethan 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 1999, Ethan moved ahead of Dylan in England and Wales · Boys — #45 and #47 the year before became #46 and #40.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Dylan and Ethan averaged 12.6 places apart, ending at #64 and #48.
- Longest-running competitions
Dylan and Ethan were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 31 years, from 1991 to 2022, ending at #91 and #24.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Dylan #16 in 2010, Ethan #11 in 2011.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys37 shared years, 1989–2025
Dylan held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Ethan in 2.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #7 in 1998, Ethan #30 in 2012.
The order changed in 2025: Ethan moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #39 and #51; by 2025 that had become #69 and #51.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Dylan #69, Ethan #51.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys31 shared years, 1991–2022
Dylan held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Ethan in 20.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #12 in 1995, Ethan #4 in 2011.
The order changed in 2002: Ethan moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #15 and #17; by 2002 that had become #16 and #5.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Dylan #91, Ethan #24.
New Zealand · Boys31 shared years, 1990–2020
Dylan held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Ethan in 22.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #7 in 1992, Ethan #5 in 2002.
The order changed in 2000: Ethan moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #14 and #18; by 2000 that had become #14 and #12.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Dylan #80, Ethan #29.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Dylan held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Ethan in 26.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #16 in 2010, Ethan #11 in 2011.
The order changed in 1999: Ethan moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #45 and #47; by 1999 that had become #46 and #40.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Dylan #64, Ethan #48.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Dylan held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Ethan in 18.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #7 in 2001, Ethan #4 in 2011.
The order changed in 2009: Ethan moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #8 and #10; by 2009 that had become #11 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Dylan #154, Ethan #57.
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 | Dylan | Ethan |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | 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. | Traditionally associated with qualities like 'solid, enduring, firm'. |
| Origin | Welsh | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdɪlən/ | /ˈiːθən/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #69 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #49 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 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 is recorded with a Welsh origin, while Ethan is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Dylan and Ethan both have 2 syllables.
- Dylan's recorded meaning differs from Ethan'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
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
Ethan
Popularity journey
First recorded1989
First recorded at #208 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1989 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1991–2025
Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2011 (recorded 1991–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #49 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys