Dylan vs Matthew
Dylan and Matthewcompared 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 2024, Dylan was ranked #154 and Matthew #42 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Dylan was ranked #69 and Matthew #55 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Dylan was ranked #64 and Matthew #149 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Dylan was ranked #104 and Matthew #73 among boys in Scotland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2020, Dylan was ranked #80 and Matthew #100 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2022, Dylan was ranked #91 and Matthew #97 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Dylan and Matthew over time
Dylan and Matthew appear together in 5 published lists, across 192 years of shared records. Matthew held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Dylan in 2.
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.
Matthew reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Dylan 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 2007, Dylan moved ahead of Matthew in England and Wales · Boys — #23 and #18 the year before became #19 and #24.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Dylan and Matthew changed places 5 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1983 and 2022, ending at #91 and #97.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Dylan and Matthew averaged 30.3 places apart, ending at #64 and #149.
- Longest-running competitions
Dylan and Matthew were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 39 years, from 1983 to 2022, ending at #91 and #97.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Boys within 2 years — Dylan #7 in 1992, Matthew #1 in 1990.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys55 shared years, 1969–2025
Dylan held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Matthew in 26.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #7 in 1998, Matthew #15 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Dylan #69, Matthew #55.
New Zealand · Boys41 shared years, 1980–2020
Dylan held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Matthew in 34.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #7 in 1992, Matthew #1 in 1990.
The order changed in 2020: Dylan moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #87 and #69; by 2020 that had become #80 and #100.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Dylan #80, Matthew #100.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys39 shared years, 1983–2022
Dylan held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Matthew in 36.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #12 in 1995, Matthew #1 in 1984.
The order changed in 2022: Dylan moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #93 and #74; by 2022 that had become #91 and #97.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Dylan #91, Matthew #97.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Dylan held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Matthew in 11.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #16 in 2010, Matthew #6 in 1996.
The order changed in 2007: Dylan moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #23 and #18; by 2007 that had become #19 and #24.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Dylan #64, Matthew #149.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Dylan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 28.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #7 in 2001, Matthew #1 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Dylan #154, Matthew #42.
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 | Matthew |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Greek Matthaios, from Hebrew Mattithiah, combining 'mattat' (gift) with 'Yahweh' — 'gift of God'. Matthew was a tax collector and one of the twelve apostles, traditionally credited as author of the first Gospel. |
| Origin | Welsh | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdɪlən/ | /ˈmæθ.juː/ |
| 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, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #69 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #55 (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 Matthew is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Dylan and Matthew both have 2 syllables.
- Dylan's recorded meaning differs from Matthew'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
Matthew
Popularity journey
First recorded1957
First recorded at #78 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1957 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1957–2023
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1982 (recorded 1957–2023).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #55 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys