Namewise

Dylan vs Rory

Dylan and Rorycompared 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.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Dylan was ranked #104 and Rory #3 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Dylan was ranked #72 and Rory #17 among boys in England and Wales.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1994, Dylan was ranked #22 and Rory #99 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Dylan was ranked #154 and Rory #33 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Dylan was ranked #69 and Rory #60 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Dylan was ranked #2006 and Rory #1271 among girls in England and Wales.

Dylan and Rory over time

Dylan and Rory appear together in 4 published lists, across 126 years of shared records. Dylan held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Rory in 0.

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.

Dylan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Rory 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.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys55 shared years, 1969–2025

    Dylan held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Rory in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Dylan #7 in 1998, Rory #42 in 2012.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Dylan #69, Rory #60.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Dylan held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Rory in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Dylan #16 in 2010, Rory #17 in 2025.

    The order changed in 2019: Rory moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #43 and #47; by 2019 that had become #54 and #46.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Dylan #72, Rory #17.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Dylan held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Rory in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Dylan #7 in 2001, Rory #28 in 2022.

    The order changed in 2019: Rory moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #41 and #52; by 2019 that had become #51 and #32.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Dylan #154, Rory #33.

  • England and Wales · Girls13 shared years, 2010–2025

    Dylan held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Rory in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Dylan #1454 in 2021, Rory #1271 in 2025.

    The order changed in 2022: Rory moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #1454 and #2201; by 2022 that had become #3148 and #1452.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Dylan #2006, Rory #1271.

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.

Other comparisons involving Rory

Pairs where Rory shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Northern Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Northern Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Dylan, Rory
FieldDylanRory
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningTraditionally 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.Red king.
OriginWelshScottish and Irish Gaelic
Pronunciation/ˈdɪlən//ˈɹɔɹi/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedRuairidh, Ruaidhrí, Rorie, Ruaidhrí
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #69 (2025)England and Wales · Boys #17 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Dylan is recorded with a Welsh origin, while Rory is recorded with a Scottish and Irish Gaelic origin.
  • Dylan and Rory both have 2 syllables.
  • Dylan's recorded meaning differs from Rory's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Dylan a "medium" Data Confidence level and Rory a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Dylan

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1980–2020

    Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in New Zealand, in 1992 (recorded 1980–2020).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2006 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Rory

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1271 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls