How to say it
DIL · un
ˈdɪl.ən
Masculine
Dylan
Son of the sea
What it means
From the Welsh roots dy (great) and llan (flow, sea, tide). 'Son of the sea' or 'great wave.'
Dylan in Welsh mythology is a sea-god, son of Arianrhod, said to swim like a fish from the moment of birth. The Welsh poet Dylan Thomas (1914 to 1953) brought the name out of Wales and into English literary attention. Bob Dylan (born Robert Zimmerman in 1941) took his stage name from the poet and cemented the name in mainstream American consciousness. Currently US top fifty for boys, holding steady, often shortened simply to Dyl in daily life.
How to spell Dylan
The standard spelling is Dylan. Common variants include Dillan, Dillon, Dylon, but Dylan is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #19 in 2003, currently #41 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pronunciation
DIH-lan in most current US usage, sometimes DUH-lan in older Welsh-influenced pronunciation. Both are correct.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Bob Dylan American singer-songwriter, Nobel Prize in Literature 2016
- Dylan Thomas Welsh poet behind 'Do not go gentle into that good night'
Spelling variants
- Dillan
- Dillon
- Dylon
Names with the same feeling
See Dylan from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Dylan mean?
- From the Welsh roots dy (great) and llan (flow, sea, tide). 'Son of the sea' or 'great wave.'
- What does Dylan mean in Welsh?
- In Welsh, Dylan means "Son of the sea." Dylan in Welsh mythology is a sea-god, son of Arianrhod, said to swim like a fish from the moment of birth. The Welsh poet Dylan Thomas (1914 to 1953) brought the name out of Wales and into English literary attention. Bob Dylan (born Robert Zimmerman in 1941) took his stage name from the poet and cemented the name in mainstream American consciousness. Currently US top fifty for boys, holding steady, often shortened simply to Dyl in daily life.
- How do you pronounce Dylan?
- Dylan is pronounced ˈdɪl.ən. Say it as DIL-un, with the stress on the "dil" syllable.
- How do you spell Dylan?
- The standard spelling is Dylan. Common spelling variants include Dillan, Dillon, Dylon.
- Is Dylan a boy or girl name?
- Dylan is traditionally a masculine name.
- How popular is the name Dylan?
- Dylan ranked #41 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.