An American icon and a 90s heartthrob helped propel this poetic choice into the US Top 50.
Thanks to Urban Angel for suggesting Dylan as Baby Name of the Day.
Many a Baby Name of the Day leads us back to Celtic myth. Dylan comes from that treasure trove, the Welsh myths known as the Mabinogion. His name probably relates to the sea, though some argue that he’s derived from dylanwad – influence.
Poet Dylan Thomas put the name on the map. While he’s known as a great Welsh poet, Dylan’s dad taught English and both Dylan and his sister Nancy grew up speaking English exclusively.
The early 20th century was the era of high-minded literary picks like Homer and Virgil. And Lady Charlotte Guest had made waves with her mid-nineteenth century translation of the Mabinogion a few decades earlier. So while Dylan was unusual, he wasn’t out of step.
As a poet, Thomas flourished from the 1930s into the 1950s. He became well known for his lilting Welsh accent and for his love affair with whiskey. Dylan failed to crack the US Top 1000, not at the heights of the poet’s popularity or following his untimely demise.
Then came another poet of sorts, American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. Born Robert Zimmerman in Duluth, Minnesota, he’s said to have been thinking of Thomas’ poetry when he chose his new name.
As for the desire to change his name? He once explained: “You call yourself what you want to call yourself. This is the land of the free.”
Amen, Bob.
Dylan first surfaced in the US Top 1000 in 1966, just as the times, they were a-changin’. Those early Dylans might’ve had siblings called Rainbow, as the singer-songwriter wasn’t noted just for his musical achievements, but his status as a hippie icon, a leader in the civil rights and anti-war movements.
By the time he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988, Dylan had climbed steadily to reach #137. Still a hero name, Dylan had also gone mainstream, fitting right in with popular picks like Justin and Kevin.
Then came television show/cultural phenomenon Beverly Hills, 90210 with twenty-something Luke Perry playing sixteen year old bad boy Dylan McKay. The show pushed Dylan into the Top 100 at #83 in 1990. By 1992, Dylan ranked #28.
Others have worn the name, like actor Dylan McDermott, but it is the poet, the singer and the heartthrob that come to mind for most.
At the same time, a few intrepid parents were bestowing Dylan as a girls’ name. Designer Ralph Lauren’s 1974-born daughter Dylan became a candy maven. The Charlie’s Angels big screen reboot featured Drew Barrymore as Dylan in 2000. (Fellow Angels answered to the equally boyish Nat and Alex.) Yet another Dylan is damaged daughter to Desperate Housewives’ Katherine Mayfair.
None of the high visibility uses has been enough to cement Dylan for our daughters. She first charted in the US Top 1000 in the mid-90s, and ranked just #556 in 2009.
Variant spelling Dillon actually derives from a separate surname. Dillon peaked at #73 in 1992, but ranked just #292 last year.
All together, file Dylan under 20th century classics. He remains a valid Welsh heritage choice and boasts an appealing Americana edge, too.
Emma says
July 23, 2012 at 8:11 PMI am the opposite- I love the name “Dylan” for a girl, not a boy. It’s a cute, sporty name for a girl- but for a boy, it sounds too. I don’t know. Trashy. My daughter is named Dylin Grace, and both she and I love her name, it goes well with her siblings; Daniel James, Addison Claire, and Mollie Isobel. I never liked those common names; I like classic, or cute but not common names. “Dylan” works for a girl, my little girl is a great Dylin and the name fits her well. For a boy…. I can’t say the same.
Dylann says
April 29, 2012 at 4:52 PMI Love The name Dylan, possibly because it’s my name. I’m a girl so my parents added an extra N to make it a little more feminine. I loved growing up with an interesting name that wasn’t found all around me. It felt like it really belonged to me.
I love the idea of a stronger name for a girl, my name always gave me a since of power that I don’t think the girls named ashley or daisy really understood.
I love my name and hope to one day give my children and strong, powerful and all around awesome names as my parents did with me and my siblings
V says
November 27, 2011 at 5:42 PMI can’t stand this name at all, for a boy or girl. It sounds so disgusting to me – Dylan, dildo? Horrible. I seriously dislike this name and can’t imagine why it’s so popular, sorry guys.
ndr says
October 25, 2011 at 12:21 PMI adore Dylan but can’t stand it when used as a girls’ name. It sounds like a strong boy’s name, not feminine at all.
Sebastiane says
May 13, 2010 at 3:07 PMI have gone through liking this name to disliking this name on and off throughout my life. Its starting to feel dated and rather soft. Kind of boring.
Charlotte Vera says
May 12, 2010 at 2:06 AMI seem to remember knowing quite a few Dylans when I was younger, but I’ve only come across a few in the past few years. I did go to college with a Dylan. Interestingly, he pronounced his name “DYE-lan”. I’m not sure if that’s the pronunciation his parents chose for him or something he decided for himself.
Joy says
May 12, 2010 at 12:47 AMI know a 41-year-old Dylan (male) and a six-year-old Dylann Marie.
British American says
May 11, 2010 at 8:13 PMI like Dylan, though now my first thought is “Boys name that is now being used on girls too” – so that would be very off-putting for me.
I know a 10 year old Dylan and the name does strike me as one I would have liked more 10 years ago.
fran says
May 11, 2010 at 7:15 PMjne, fyi dillon’s was taken over by waterstones about ten years ago. i’m english and had to rack my brains to remember it!
JNE says
May 11, 2010 at 9:19 PMReally?! I left in 2001, but maybe I missed/forgot about the takeover. Funny how things just stay fossilized in my brain – England is forever in the late 90s for me! 🙂
British American says
May 12, 2010 at 7:44 AMSame here. I left in 2001 too!
JNE says
May 11, 2010 at 7:00 PMIf my husband had chosen our son’s name without my input, I’m reasonably certain he’d have chosen Dylan. I do love the name – Bob Dylan, Welsh like our surname, sounds cool/friendly – but it is so darned popular…. too popular. I vetoed it based on popularity. DH was not happy with that. He wanted it in the middle and I just didn’t love the combo. Also, it makes me think of Dillon’s – a major bookstore chain in England. Books aren’t a bad association, but retail chains, be they bookstores or otherwise, don’t really inspire me. But hey, plenty of girls are called Macy, so it’s not that off-putting I guess. I like Dylan, but might lean toward the Irish Declan at this point, just to avoid it being too popular (plus with that you get a nn: Dec). Or maybe I’d choose another icon of the times (Bob Dylan times, because he’s who I think of first and foremost): Lennon. Still, I would delight at hearing a mom or dad calling for their little Dylan at the playground.
British American says
May 11, 2010 at 8:12 PMI know a 10 month old Macy and a 2 year old Lennon. 🙂
Declan / Dec gives me a British ‘Ant and Dec’ vibe. 🙂
JNE says
May 11, 2010 at 9:17 PMYeah, I always think Ant and Dec too… they were on American tv doing some weird show a couple years back… it was surreal.
UrbanAngel says
May 12, 2010 at 3:00 AMI think that’s really ironic, as I’m in-love with Irish names, but I’ve never gone for Declan, even though it’s similar. The major drawback of Dylan is the popularity 🙁 🙁 🙁
fran says
May 11, 2010 at 5:10 PMi like dylan, it’s friendly and just sounds nice to my ears. being a bob dylan fan myself doesn’t hurt either. also there was a character in the british children’s show the magic roundabout named dylan after bob dylan too. i’m not so sure of it as a girls name though, but on a little boy it’s lovely although out of the running for me as one of my dogs is named dylan!
UrbanAngel says
May 11, 2010 at 4:45 PMDylan is my all time favourite male name. I’ve loved it since I was around 10.
I do get why others might not like him, because of what to some is a harsh ‘d’ sound combined with the ‘dill’ pickle connotations. I just LOVE the sound of the name, it’s associations & the way I feel when I say it or think of it. I’d love to use it on a boy if I ever have one. It’s my first choice. The Welsh/Celtic vibes are perfect as I have pretty much the entire UK in my veins as well as a huge love of all things Celtic.The meaning reminds me of the sea & I love the water & swimming.Plus, I love poetry & music of Bob Dylan’s generation
The only thing I don’t like is it’s popularity, which is HUGE globally.It’s in the top 100 of 7 countries that I know of.The upside, is that hopefully it decreases in popularity, so that I can ‘hopefully’ use it when I have kids in a couple of years. I’m hoping that most of the Dylan’s are in their late 20s or in their 30s & 40s when I have kids, so that it won’t be as popular on kids. Most of them seem to be between 10 & 25 currently, that I know of.
Thank you for doing this as NOTD !