Namewise

Dylan vs Jack

Dylan and Jackcompared 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 Jack #2 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Dylan was ranked #69 and Jack #2 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Dylan was ranked #154 and Jack #4 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2022, Dylan was ranked #91 and Jack #6 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Dylan was ranked #104 and Jack #7 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Dylan was ranked #72 and Jack #24 among boys in England and Wales.

Dylan and Jack over time

Dylan and Jack appear together in 5 published lists, across 179 years of shared records. Jack held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Dylan in 0.

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 3 of those lists, Jack 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 1987, Jack moved ahead of Dylan in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #69 and #95 the year before became #71 and #64.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Dylan and Jack averaged 33.8 places apart, ending at #72 and #24.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 33 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Jack rose about as far as Dylan fell — from #47 and #78 in 1988 to #80 and #2 in 2020.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Dylan and Jack were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #72 and #24.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Dylan #7 in 2001, Jack #1 in 2001.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys52 shared years, 1973–2025

    Dylan held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Jack in 38.

    Highest recorded here: Dylan #7 in 1998, Jack #1 in 2000.

    The order changed in 1996: Jack moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #13 and #19; by 1996 that had become #14 and #12.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Dylan #69, Jack #2.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys36 shared years, 1986–2022

    Dylan held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Jack in 35.

    Highest recorded here: Dylan #12 in 1995, Jack #1 in 2003.

    The order changed in 1987: Jack moved ahead. In 1986 they stood at #69 and #95; by 1987 that had become #71 and #64.

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Dylan #91, Jack #6.

  • New Zealand · Boys33 shared years, 1988–2020

    Dylan held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Jack in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Dylan #7 in 1992, Jack #1 in 2005.

    The order changed in 1995: Jack moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #22 and #24; by 1995 that had become #20 and #19.

    Most recent shared year, 2020: Dylan #80, Jack #2.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Dylan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jack in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Dylan #16 in 2010, Jack #1 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Dylan #72, Jack #24.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Dylan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jack in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Dylan #7 in 2001, Jack #1 in 2001.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Dylan #154, Jack #4.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Dylan

Pairs where Dylan shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Jack

Pairs where Jack shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Northern Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Northern Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Dylan, Jack
FieldDylanJack
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningTraditionally 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.God is gracious (via John), though now used as an independent name.
OriginWelshEnglish, historically a diminutive of John
Pronunciation/ˈdɪlən//ˈdʒæk/
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedJankin
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #69 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #2 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Dylan is recorded with a Welsh origin, while Jack is recorded with a English, historically a diminutive of John origin.
  • Dylan has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Jack.
  • Dylan's recorded meaning differs from Jack's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Dylan a "medium" Data Confidence level and Jack a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Dylan

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1980–2020

    Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in New Zealand, in 1992 (recorded 1980–2020).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2006 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Jack

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #171 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 1996 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #24 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys