Dylan vs Jake
Dylan and Jakecompared 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, Dylan was ranked #64 and Jake #185 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2017, Dylan was ranked #69 and Jake #96 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Dylan was ranked #69 and Jake #95 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Dylan was ranked #154 and Jake #84 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2020, Dylan was ranked #93 and Jake #87 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Dylan was ranked #104 and Jake #165 among boys in Scotland.
Dylan and Jake over time
Dylan and Jake appear together in 5 published lists, across 158 years of shared records. Dylan held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Jake 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, Jake 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 2016, Dylan moved ahead of Jake in England and Wales · Boys — #38 and #34 the year before became #38 and #45.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Dylan and Jake changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #64 and #185.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Dylan and Jake averaged 23.2 places apart, ending at #64 and #185.
- Longest-running competitions
Dylan and Jake were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 34 years, from 1986 to 2020, ending at #93 and #87.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Dylan #12 in 1995, Jake #7 in 1994.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys41 shared years, 1983–2025
Dylan held the stronger position in 41 of those years, Jake in 0.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #7 in 1998, Jake #25 in 2015.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Dylan #69, Jake #95.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys34 shared years, 1986–2020
Dylan held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Jake in 17.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #12 in 1995, Jake #7 in 1994.
The order changed in 2020: Jake moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #67 and #92; by 2020 that had become #93 and #87.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Dylan #93, Jake #87.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Dylan held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Jake in 12.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #16 in 2010, Jake #15 in 2006.
The order changed in 2016: Dylan moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #38 and #34; by 2016 that had become #38 and #45.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Dylan #64, Jake #185.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Dylan held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Jake in 13.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #7 in 2001, Jake #10 in 2015.
The order changed in 2020: Jake moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #51 and #56; by 2020 that had become #68 and #54.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Dylan #154, Jake #84.
New Zealand · Boys26 shared years, 1991–2017
Dylan held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Jake in 0.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #11 in 1993, Jake #44 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Dylan #69, Jake #96.
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 | Jake |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | A medieval variant of Jack, also sometimes used as a short form of Jacob. |
| Origin | Welsh | English, medieval variant |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdɪlən/ | /ˈd͡ʒeɪk/ |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #95 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Dylan is recorded with a Welsh origin, while Jake is recorded with a English, medieval variant origin.
- Dylan and Jake both have 2 syllables.
- Dylan's recorded meaning differs from Jake'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
Jake
Popularity journey
First recorded1983
First recorded at #330 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 recorded1986–2020
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1994 (recorded 1986–2020).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #95 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys