Meaning & use
Dylan
Last updated
Meanings
proper nounproper
A boy's first name of Welsh origin, now also used for girls, and a well-known surname through two famous artists.
Grammar: Always capitalized: my cousin Dylan.
Patterns
- named Dylan
- Dylan Thomas
Dylan waved from the back of the classroom.
They named their son Dylan after his grandfather.
Our new neighbor, Dylan, brought over a plate of cookies.
proper nounproperspecialist
A figure from Welsh legend, a sea-god and son of Arianrhod in the Mabinogion tales.
Grammar: Used as a name in the myth: Dylan of the Wave.
Patterns
- Dylan ail Don
In the myth, Dylan swam into the sea as soon as he was born.
The story of Dylan appears in the medieval Welsh tales.
Some scholars link the name Dylan to the sea.
Common combinations
- Dylan Thomas
- We read a poem by Dylan Thomas in class.
- Bob Dylan
- Bob Dylan won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016.
- a boy named Dylan
- There is a boy named Dylan in my brother's team.
- Dylan's songs
- Dylan's songs are known for their lyrics.
Word family
- Dylanesque adjective
- in the style of the singer Bob Dylan
- Dyl noun
- an informal short form of the name
Commonly confused: Dylan or Dillon?
Dylan vs Dillon
Dillon is a different name, spelled with two l's and used mainly as a surname, though the two sound alike.
Practice
Which of these is a Welsh name often linked to the sea?
Choose one answer.
Dylan comes from Welsh legend and is traditionally connected with the sea. The other names have different origins.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Dylan”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.