Dylan vs Jordan
Dylan and Jordancompared 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 Jordan #45 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2020, Dylan was ranked #80 and Jordan #56 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Dylan was ranked #64 and Jordan #213 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Dylan was ranked #69 and Jordan #179 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Dylan was ranked #104 and Jordan #169 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Dylan was ranked #154 and Jordan #404 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2003, Dylan was ranked #655 and Jordan #294 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Dylan was ranked #1743 and Jordan #2574 among girls in England and Wales.
Dylan and Jordan over time
Dylan and Jordan appear together in 6 published lists, across 204 years of shared records. Dylan held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Jordan in 0.
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.
Jordan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Dylan 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 2002, Dylan moved ahead of Jordan in England and Wales · Boys — #27 and #26 the year before became #28 and #43.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Dylan and Jordan changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #1743 and #2574.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 36 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Dylan and Jordan averaged 12.5 places apart, ending at #91 and #45.
- Longest-running competitions
Dylan and Jordan were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 36 years, from 1985 to 2022, ending at #91 and #45.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Dylan #12 in 1995, Jordan #14 in 1994.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys47 shared years, 1978–2025
Dylan held the stronger position in 46 of those years, Jordan in 0.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #7 in 1998, Jordan #20 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Dylan #69, Jordan #179.
New Zealand · Boys39 shared years, 1982–2020
Dylan held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Jordan in 15.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #7 in 1992, Jordan #7 in 1994.
The order changed in 2017: Jordan moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #65 and #68; by 2017 that had become #69 and #53.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Dylan #80, Jordan #56.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys36 shared years, 1985–2022
Dylan held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Jordan in 7.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #12 in 1995, Jordan #14 in 1994.
The order changed in 2018: Jordan moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #67 and #74; by 2018 that had become #67 and #58.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Dylan #91, Jordan #45.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Dylan held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Jordan in 6.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #16 in 2010, Jordan #10 in 1997.
The order changed in 2002: Dylan moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #27 and #26; by 2002 that had become #28 and #43.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Dylan #64, Jordan #213.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Dylan held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Jordan in 4.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #7 in 2001, Jordan #6 in 1997.
The order changed in 2001: Dylan moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #10 and #7; by 2001 that had become #7 and #17.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Dylan #154, Jordan #404.
England and Wales · Girls25 shared years, 1996–2024
Dylan held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Jordan in 11.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #1454 in 2021, Jordan #72 in 1998.
The order changed in 2023: Dylan moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #3148 and #2888; by 2023 that had become #1959 and #4056.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Dylan #1743, Jordan #2574.
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 | Jordan |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | From the Jordan River, from Hebrew Yarden ('descend, flow down'). Crusaders brought water from the river to baptize children in Europe after John the Baptist baptized Jesus there. |
| Origin | Welsh | Biblical Hebrew (place name origin) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdɪlən/ | /ˈd͡ʒɔɹ.dən/ |
| 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 #90 (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 Jordan is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew (place name origin) origin.
- Dylan and Jordan both have 2 syllables.
- Dylan's recorded meaning differs from Jordan'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
Jordan
Popularity journey
First recorded1978
First recorded at #283 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1978 — 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: #6 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 1997 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #90 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys