Name meaning & stats

Dylan

Dylan means “great tide, sea” (Welsh origin). 434,951 US babies since 1940, peak 2001. Notable Dylans are 2.5× over-represented as ice hockey players.

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What it means

“great tide, sea”

WelshWell documented

In US birth records

Peak year: 2001

434,951 US babies were named Dylan between 1940 and 2025.

Where Dylans end up

Not enough notable Dylans yet, so this uses the spelling family: Dylan, Dillon.

Career	vs expected	Confidence
Actor	1.9×	High · 46 people
Footballer	1.6×	High · 42 people
Ice hockey player	2.5×	High · 32 people
Basketball player	1.3×	High · 28 people

Among notable men who are ice hockey players, the Dylan family show up 2.5× as often as you'd expect from how common the name is.

Notable people born 1940–2005 in the US, UK, Canada and Australia (Wikidata). Patterns, not destiny.

One more thing…

Dylan has a surprise career: 2.3×

Reveal it in Dylan's story

Spelling family

The most common spelling: 81% of the family

Dylan 81%
Dillon 12%
Dillan 1%
Dilan 1%
Dylon 1%
Dyllan 1%
Dillion 1%
Dyllon <1%
Dylen <1%
Dylin <1%

Names that sound the same, grouped by Heyotag. Share of US babies since 1940.

Name twins (peaked around 2001)