Dylan vs Ryan
Dylan and Ryancompared 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 Ryan #48 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2022, Dylan was ranked #91 and Ryan #50 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Dylan was ranked #69 and Ryan #57 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Dylan was ranked #64 and Ryan #132 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Dylan was ranked #154 and Ryan #104 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Dylan was ranked #104 and Ryan #104 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2015, Dylan was ranked #1783 and Ryan #5730 among girls in England and Wales.
Dylan and Ryan over time
Dylan and Ryan appear together in 5 published lists, across 191 years of shared records. Ryan held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Dylan in 1.
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 3 of those lists, Ryan in 2. 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 2004, Dylan moved ahead of Ryan in England and Wales · Boys — #28 and #22 the year before became #21 and #22.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Dylan and Ryan changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1983 and 2022, ending at #91 and #50.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Dylan and Ryan averaged 27.6 places apart, ending at #64 and #132.
- Longest-running competitions
Dylan and Ryan were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 39 years, from 1983 to 2022, ending at #91 and #50.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys54 shared years, 1971–2025
Dylan held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Ryan in 32.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #7 in 1998, Ryan #6 in 2008.
The order changed in 2025: Ryan moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #39 and #46; by 2025 that had become #69 and #57.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Dylan #69, Ryan #57.
New Zealand · Boys41 shared years, 1980–2020
Dylan held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Ryan in 35.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #7 in 1992, Ryan #10 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Dylan #80, Ryan #48.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys39 shared years, 1983–2022
Dylan held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Ryan in 30.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #12 in 1995, Ryan #8 in 2004.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Dylan #91, Ryan #50.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Dylan held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Ryan in 8.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #16 in 2010, Ryan #7 in 1996.
The order changed in 2004: Dylan moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #28 and #22; by 2004 that had become #21 and #22.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Dylan #64, Ryan #132.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Dylan held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Ryan in 27.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #7 in 2001, Ryan #2 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Dylan #154, Ryan #104.
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 | Ryan |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | The Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Riain, a patronymic from the given name Rian. The exact meaning of Rian itself remains uncertain, despite a popular but unconfirmed 'little king' gloss. |
| Origin | Welsh | Irish (surname origin) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdɪlən/ | /ˈɹaɪ.ən/ |
| 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, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #69 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #57 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| 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 is recorded with a Welsh origin, while Ryan is recorded with a Irish (surname origin) origin.
- Dylan has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Ryan.
- Dylan's recorded meaning differs from Ryan'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
Ryan
Popularity journey
First recorded1971
First recorded at #280 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1971 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 1997 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #81 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys