Dillon: Meaning, Pronunciation and Origin
Dillon is an Irish surname of Norman-French origin, also used as a boy’s name and as a spelling of the Welsh Dylan. Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated November 2026
- Gender
- Boy
- Popularity in Ireland
- No. 829 for boys (2025)
How do you pronounce Dillon?
Dillon is pronounced DIL-on. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first.
What does Dillon mean?
Dillon is an Irish surname of Norman-French origin, also used as a first name. Woulfe traces it to an old Germanic personal name, Dill, Dillo or Dilli, but gives no meaning for it. As a first name, Dillon is also a variant spelling of the Welsh Dylan, an unrelated name formed from the Welsh prefix dy- and llanw, “tide, flow.”
The Dillons came to Ireland at the time of the Anglo-Norman invasion, and Sir Henry Dillon received large grants of land in Westmeath and Annaly from King John. In the 17th and 18th centuries members of the family were distinguished in the service of continental powers. The Irish forms of the surname are Díolmhain and Díolún.
Sources: Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (1923), Behind the Name, Wikipedia.
How popular is Dillon in Ireland?
In 2025, 3 baby boys in Ireland were named Dillon, which made it No. 829 that year. That's down from No. 257 ten years earlier. It was most popular in 1997, when 69 baby boys were named Dillon, No. 86 that year. It first appears in the records in 1980, with 3 baby boys.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3 | No. 829 |
| 2024 | 9 | No. 394 |
| 2023 | 12 | No. 330 |
| 2022 | 14 | No. 306 |
| 2021 | 14 | No. 312 |
| 2020 | 15 | No. 294 |
| 2019 | 10 | No. 370 |
| 2018 | 16 | No. 283 |
| 2017 | 19 | No. 257 |
| 2016 | 17 | No. 272 |
| 2015 | 19 | No. 257 |
| 2014 | 30 | No. 193 |
| 2013 | 28 | No. 209 |
| 2012 | 27 | No. 215 |
| 2011 | 36 | No. 183 |
| 2010 | 27 | No. 214 |
| 2009 | 31 | No. 185 |
| 2008 | 35 | No. 178 |
| 2007 | 33 | No. 166 |
| 2006 | 26 | No. 178 |
| 2005 | 32 | No. 148 |
| 2004 | 31 | No. 143 |
| 2003 | 48 | No. 108 |
| 2002 | 38 | No. 119 |
| 2001 | 37 | No. 120 |
| 2000 | 45 | No. 105 |
| 1999 | 59 | No. 86 |
| 1998 | 48 | No. 89 |
| 1997 | 69 | No. 86 |
| 1996 | 49 | No. 109 |
| 1995 | 61 | No. 89 |
| 1994 | 43 | No. 113 |
| 1993 | 33 | No. 125 |
| 1992 | 22 | No. 154 |
| 1991 | 6 | No. 242 |
| 1990 | 6 | No. 245 |
| 1989 | 3 | No. 307 |
| 1987 | 7 | No. 222 |
| 1985 | 3 | No. 304 |
| 1984 | 5 | No. 250 |
| 1983 | 5 | No. 258 |
| 1980 | 3 | No. 321 |
Dillon in Ogham
Ogham is the oldest way of writing Irish. It was carved along the edges of standing stones, mostly between the 4th and 6th centuries, and read from the bottom up. In later tradition each letter was named after a tree or plant. Here’s Dillon, letter by letter.
- DDair, oak
- IIodhadh, yew
- LLuis, rowan
- LLuis, rowan
- OOnn, gorse
- NNion, ash
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Dillon
Questions about Dillon
- How do you pronounce Dillon?
- Dillon is pronounced DIL-on, with two syllables and the stress on the first.
- What does Dillon mean?
- Dillon is an Irish surname of Norman-French origin, also used as a boy’s name and as a spelling of the Welsh Dylan.
- Is Dillon a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Dillon is a boy's name.
- How popular is Dillon in Ireland?
- In 2025, Dillon was No. 829 for boys in Ireland, with 3 babies, according to the Central Statistics Office. It was most popular in 1997, at No. 86.
Sources: popularity from the Central Statistics Office, table VSA50 (CC BY 4.0). Meaning and origin from Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (1923), Behind the Name and Wikipedia. How we research names: our sources. Spotted a mistake? support@babynamesofireland.com