Dillon: Meaning, Pronunciation and Origin
Dillon is an Irish boy's name meaning “a flash of lightning.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated September 2026
- Meaning
- A flash of lightning
- Gender
- Boy
- English forms
- Dylan
- 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?
From dealan “a flash of lightning” or it may come from an Irish word for “faithful, loyal.” A common surname it is the Irish form of the Welsh name “Dylan.” As Dylan it was the tenth most popular name for Irish baby boys in Ireland for 2003.
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. Two syllables, stress on the first.
- What does Dillon mean?
- Dillon means “a flash of lightning.”
- Is Dillon a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Dillon is a boy's name.
- What is Dillon in English?
- The English form of Dillon is Dylan.
- 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.