Dylan vs Neil
Dylan and Neilcompared 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 Neil #968 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Dylan was ranked #69 and Neil #372 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1985, Dylan was ranked #73 and Neil #98 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Dylan was ranked #115 and Neil #352 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Dylan and Neil over time
Dylan and Neil appear together in 3 published lists, across 104 years of shared records. Dylan held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Neil in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Neil reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Dylan 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 1992, Dylan moved ahead of Neil in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #85 and #81 the year before became #70 and #83.
- Longest-running competitions
Dylan and Neil were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 55 years, from 1969 to 2025, ending at #69 and #372.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys55 shared years, 1969–2025
Dylan held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Neil in 21.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #7 in 1998, Neil #55 in 1978.
The order changed in 1992: Dylan moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #85 and #81; by 1992 that had become #70 and #83.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Dylan #69, Neil #372.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Dylan held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Neil in 0.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #16 in 2010, Neil #232 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Dylan #64, Neil #968.
Northern Ireland · Boys20 shared years, 1997–2022
Dylan held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Neil in 0.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #7 in 2001, Neil #84 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Dylan #115, Neil #352.
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 | Neil |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #69 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #372 (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); Neil does not have one recorded yet.
- Dylan has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Neil.
- A meaning is recorded for Dylan; Neil doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, 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
Neil
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #42 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1979
Highest recorded position: #30 among boys in New Zealand, in 1956 (recorded 1954–1979).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #372 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys