Dylan vs Matt

Dylan and Mattcompared 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.

Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2017, Dylan was ranked #53 and Matt #415 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Dylan was ranked #64 and Matt #5119 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Dylan was ranked #69 and Matt #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Dylan and Matt over time

Dylan and Matt appear together in 3 published lists, across 61 years of shared records. Dylan held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Matt in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.

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.

List by list

England and Wales · Boys28 shared years, 1996–2024
Dylan held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Matt in 0.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #16 in 2010, Matt #362 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Dylan #64, Matt #5119.
Republic of Ireland · Boys25 shared years, 1994–2025
Dylan held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Matt in 0.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #7 in 1998, Matt #268 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Dylan #69, Matt #676.
Northern Ireland · Boys8 shared years, 2005–2017
Dylan held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Matt in 0.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #9 in 2007, Matt #236 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Dylan #53, Matt #415.

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.

Stephen vs Dylan
In 1996 they stood at #60 and #57 in England and Wales · Boys, 3 places apart; by 2024 they were #651 and #64.
Stephen · Dylan · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2024 England and Wales ranking
Conor vs Dylan
In 1996 they stood at #63 and #57 in England and Wales · Boys, 6 places apart; by 2024 they were #422 and #64.
Conor · Dylan · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2024 England and Wales ranking
Dylan vs Richard
In 1996 they stood at #57 and #62 in England and Wales · Boys, 5 places apart; by 2024 they were #64 and #398.
Dylan · Richard · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2024 England and Wales ranking
Dylan vs Ross
In 1997 they stood at #23 and #30 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 7 places apart; by 2023 they were #98 and #395.
Dylan · Ross · 27 shared years, 1997–2023 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2023 Northern Ireland ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Dylan, Matt
Field	Dylan	Matt
Record type	Editorially researched profile	Official statistical record (evidence-only)
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.	Not yet recorded
Origin	Welsh	Not yet recorded
Pronunciation	/ˈdɪlən/	Not yet recorded
Syllables	2	1
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ	GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE
Most recent popularity observation	Republic of Ireland · Boys #69 (2025)	Republic of Ireland · Boys #676 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	90/100	Not yet recorded
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 has a recorded origin (Welsh); Matt does not have one recorded yet.
Dylan has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Matt.
A meaning is recorded for Dylan; Matt doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.

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

Matt

Popularity journey

First recorded1994
First recorded at #342 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1994 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded2005–2017
Highest recorded position: #236 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2007 (recorded 2005–2017).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys