Dylan
Boy name · #41 in 2025 · Well-known
How old is the name Dylan? In official American birth records, Dylan has been tracked continuously since 1953, giving it 72 years of documented American history.
Dylan ranks #41 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 6,208 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #27, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 290 boys born in 2025 was named Dylan.
Babies named Dylan per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 72-year story
Dylan first appears in the Social Security records in 1953, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2001, when 16,497 boys were named Dylan — good for #21 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Dylan against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Dylan in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Dylan is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Dylan is most common
Geography matters for names, and Dylan is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Dylan is most common in DE (7.5 per 1,000), DC (7.1 per 1,000), FL (6.9 per 1,000), MD (6.6 per 1,000), NJ (6.4 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 4.2 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Dylan is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Dylan
Statistically, parents drawn to Dylan tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Logan, Ethan, Nolan, Nathan, and Jacob.
LoganEthanNolanNathanJacobAdrianCalebIan
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Dylan | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6,208 | #41 |
| 2024 | 7,487 | #28 |
| 2023 | 7,074 | #34 |
| 2022 | 6,745 | #42 |
| 2021 | 6,767 | #44 |
| 2020 | 6,857 | #42 |
| 2019 | 7,555 | #39 |
| 2018 | 8,610 | #31 |
| 2017 | 9,315 | #29 |
| 2016 | 9,720 | #32 |
| 2015 | 10,298 | #27 |
| 2014 | 10,416 | #29 |
| 2013 | 10,127 | #29 |
| 2012 | 10,001 | #31 |
| 2011 | 9,792 | #33 |
| 2010 | 10,520 | #31 |
| 2009 | 11,373 | #30 |
| 2008 | 11,710 | #31 |
| 2007 | 12,811 | #29 |
| 2006 | 13,171 | #26 |
| 2005 | 13,782 | #24 |
| 2004 | 14,852 | #19 |
| 2003 | 15,703 | #19 |
| 2002 | 14,821 | #23 |
| 2001 | 16,497 | #21 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Dylan?
In official American birth records, the name Dylan first appeared in 1953 (over 72 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 72 years.
Is Dylan a popular boy name?
Dylan ranked #41 among boys in 2025 with 6,208 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #27.
When was the name Dylan most popular?
Dylan peaked in 2001, when 16,497 American boys received the name (ranked #21 that year). Since 2001 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Dylan?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 290 newborn American boys was named Dylan. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.