Dylan: Name Meaning, Origin, Popularity, & Inspiration

Meaning and Origin of: Dylan

Dylan is a name of Welsh origin meaning "son of the sea." It was derived from the Welsh component dy and llanw, which mean "sea."

Girl name origins & meanings

Welsh : Sea

Girl name variations

Boy name origins & meanings

Welsh : Sea

What does Dylan mean and stand for?

Dylan is a name of Welsh origin meaning "son of the sea." It was derived from the Welsh component dy and llanw, which mean "sea." Dylan was a sea god in Welsh mythology who demanded the waters in Britain and Ireland to cry when he died.

Syllables: 2

Boy name variations

Famous people with this last name

Bob Dylan

Famous people who gave their babies this name

Popularity

According to Social Security Administration data, Dylan has been consistently popular, remaining in the top fifty since 2000. It even enjoyed a spot in the top 20 in 2003 and 2004, at its peak both years: rank 19.

However, it is the 45th most popular name on FamilyEducation.com.

According to Google search data analysis, in the last five years Dylan was at its peak popularity in October 2016.

Dylan is a Welsh name that gained popularity with the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. Bob Dylan even adopted his name in honor of Dylan Thomas. Over the years, Dylan has consistently ranked in the top boy names starting with D. Its alternative spelling, Dillon, is only used 5% more often.