Dylan vs Lachlan
Dylan and Lachlancompared 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 Lachlan #14 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2022, Dylan was ranked #91 and Lachlan #25 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Dylan was ranked #64 and Lachlan #328 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Dylan was ranked #69 and Lachlan #317 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Dylan was ranked #104 and Lachlan #88 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Dylan was ranked #154 and Lachlan #278 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Dylan and Lachlan over time
Dylan and Lachlan appear together in 5 published lists, across 124 years of shared records. Dylan held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Lachlan in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 2 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 Lachlan 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 1997, Lachlan moved ahead of Dylan in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #13 and #24 the year before became #12 and #7.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 38 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Dylan and Lachlan averaged 23.7 places apart, ending at #91 and #25.
- Longest-running competitions
Dylan and Lachlan were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 38 years, from 1983 to 2022, ending at #91 and #25.
List by list
New South Wales, Australia · Boys38 shared years, 1983–2022
Dylan held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Lachlan in 30.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #12 in 1995, Lachlan #2 in 2005.
The order changed in 1997: Lachlan moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #13 and #24; by 1997 that had become #12 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Dylan #91, Lachlan #25.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Dylan held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Lachlan in 0.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #16 in 2010, Lachlan #328 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Dylan #64, Lachlan #328.
Republic of Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 1997–2025
Dylan held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Lachlan in 0.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #8 in 2008, Lachlan #263 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Dylan #69, Lachlan #317.
New Zealand · Boys23 shared years, 1997–2020
Dylan held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Lachlan in 12.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #14 in 1999, Lachlan #13 in 2018.
The order changed in 2010: Lachlan moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #27 and #28; by 2010 that had become #30 and #23.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Dylan #80, Lachlan #14.
Northern Ireland · Boys10 shared years, 1998–2024
Dylan held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Lachlan in 0.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #8 in 2004, Lachlan #226 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Dylan #154, Lachlan #278.
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 | Lachlan |
|---|---|---|
| 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 understood as 'Viking' or 'Scandinavian' via its root name — someone associated with the land of the Norsemen. A secondary reading of that root gives 'land of the lakes'. |
| Origin | Welsh | Scottish Gaelic (Anglicised), from Lochlann ('Scandinavia') |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdɪlən/ | /ˈlɒklən/ |
| 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 #34 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Dylan is recorded with a Welsh origin, while Lachlan is recorded with a Scottish Gaelic (Anglicised), from Lochlann ('Scandinavia') origin.
- Dylan and Lachlan both have 2 syllables.
- Dylan's recorded meaning differs from Lachlan'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
Lachlan
Popularity journey
First recorded1982
First recorded at #95 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1982 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1982–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2005 (recorded 1982–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #34 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys