Dylan vs Hunter
Dylan and Huntercompared 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, Dylan was ranked #80 and Hunter #10 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2022, Dylan was ranked #91 and Hunter #23 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Dylan was ranked #104 and Hunter #52 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Dylan was ranked #64 and Hunter #78 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Dylan was ranked #69 and Hunter #159 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Dylan was ranked #154 and Hunter #93 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Dylan was ranked #1743 and Hunter #5891 among girls in England and Wales.
Dylan and Hunter over time
Dylan and Hunter appear together in 6 published lists, across 106 years of shared records. Dylan held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Hunter in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 3 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, Hunter 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 took the other's place near the top
In New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Hunter moved into the top 50 at #25 in 2013 as Dylan fell out of it to #65, having been #32 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2013, Hunter moved ahead of Dylan in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #32 and #35 the year before became #65 and #25.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Dylan and Hunter changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #64 and #78.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 22 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Dylan and Hunter averaged 40.6 places apart, ending at #80 and #10.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Dylan held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Hunter in 3.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #16 in 2010, Hunter #44 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Dylan #64, Hunter #78.
New Zealand · Boys22 shared years, 1999–2020
Dylan held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Hunter in 14.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #14 in 1999, Hunter #5 in 2017.
The order changed in 2007: Hunter moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #21 and #42; by 2007 that had become #22 and #21.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Dylan #80, Hunter #10.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys17 shared years, 2005–2022
Dylan held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Hunter in 9.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #19 in 2005, Hunter #16 in 2017.
The order changed in 2013: Hunter moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #32 and #35; by 2013 that had become #65 and #25.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Dylan #91, Hunter #23.
Northern Ireland · Boys15 shared years, 2008–2024
Dylan held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Hunter in 4.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #8 in 2008, Hunter #70 in 2019.
The order changed in 2021: Hunter moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #68 and #80; by 2021 that had become #81 and #73.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Dylan #154, Hunter #93.
Republic of Ireland · Boys14 shared years, 2012–2025
Dylan held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Hunter in 0.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #9 in 2012, Hunter #91 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Dylan #69, Hunter #159.
England and Wales · Girls9 shared years, 2012–2024
Dylan held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Hunter in 0.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #1562 in 2019, Hunter #2901 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Dylan #1743, Hunter #5891.
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 | Hunter |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | An English occupational surname, from Old English 'hunta'/'huntian' ('to hunt') — someone who hunted for a living. |
| Origin | Welsh | English, an occupational surname describing someone who hunted |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdɪlən/ | /ˈhʌn.təɹ/ |
| 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #69 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #60 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Dylan is recorded with a Welsh origin, while Hunter is recorded with a English, an occupational surname describing someone who hunted origin.
- Dylan and Hunter both have 2 syllables.
- Dylan's recorded meaning differs from Hunter'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
Hunter
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #2357 among boys in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded1999–2023
Highest recorded position: #5 among boys in New Zealand, in 2017 (recorded 1999–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #60 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys