Dylan vs Tommy
Dylan and Tommycompared 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 Tommy #20 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Dylan was ranked #104 and Tommy #20 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Dylan was ranked #69 and Tommy #27 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Dylan was ranked #64 and Tommy #39 among boys in England and Wales.
Dylan and Tommy over time
Dylan and Tommy appear together in 3 published lists, across 94 years of shared records. Dylan held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Tommy 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 3 of those lists, and Tommy 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 took the other's place near the top
In England and Wales · Boys, Tommy moved into the top 50 at #26 in 2019 as Dylan fell out of it to #54, having been #43 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2019, Tommy moved ahead of Dylan in England and Wales · Boys — #43 and #50 the year before became #54 and #26.
- Longest-running competitions
Dylan and Tommy were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 43 years, from 1980 to 2025, ending at #69 and #27.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys43 shared years, 1980–2025
Dylan held the stronger position in 39 of those years, Tommy in 4.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #7 in 1998, Tommy #21 in 2023.
The order changed in 2022: Tommy moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #26 and #36; by 2022 that had become #33 and #29.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Dylan #69, Tommy #27.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Dylan held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Tommy in 6.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #16 in 2010, Tommy #22 in 2020.
The order changed in 2019: Tommy moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #43 and #50; by 2019 that had become #54 and #26.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Dylan #64, Tommy #39.
Northern Ireland · Boys22 shared years, 1999–2024
Dylan held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Tommy in 6.
Highest recorded here: Dylan #8 in 2004, Tommy #11 in 2023.
The order changed in 2019: Tommy moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #41 and #58; by 2019 that had become #51 and #33.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Dylan #154, Tommy #20.
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 | Tommy |
|---|---|---|
| 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/ | |
| 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 #27 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Dylan has a recorded origin (Welsh); Tommy does not have one recorded yet.
- Dylan and Tommy both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Dylan; Tommy doesn't have one written yet.
- 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
Tommy
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #268 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1999–2024
Highest recorded position: #11 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2023 (recorded 1999–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #97 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys