Dilon
An Anglicized form of the Irish name Diolún meaning "descendent of the loyal one".
Name Census estimates that about 417 living Americans carry the first name Dilon. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Dilon today is around 24 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Dilon births was 2003 (27 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Dilon. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
417
~ 1 in 821,953 Americans
Peak year
2003
27 babies that year
Average age
24
years old
2023 SSA rank
#12,689
Tracked since 1987
Popularity
Dilon: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Dilon from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 196 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Dilon by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Dilon during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Dilons live
Origin
Meaning and history of Dilon
The name Dilon is believed to have originated from the Gaelic language and can be traced back to the early medieval period in Ireland and Scotland. Its roots lie in the Gaelic word "dubh" meaning "black" or "dark," and the suffix "-lon" derived from the word "lon," meaning "blackbird" or "meadow."
In ancient Celtic folklore, the blackbird was revered as a symbol of good fortune and was often associated with the underworld and the realm of the dead. This connection may have influenced the choice of the name Dilon for children, as it was believed to bestow protection and good luck upon the bearer.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dilon can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history dating back to the 15th century. The name appears in reference to a chieftain named Dilon O'Neill, who ruled over a territory in County Tyrone, Ireland, in the late 12th century.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Dilon. One such figure was Dilon Carragher (1770-1848), an Irish poet and songwriter from County Donegal, who is remembered for his contributions to the preservation of Irish folklore and traditional ballads.
Another prominent Dilon was Dilon MacCormick (1892-1975), a Scottish sculptor and artist celebrated for his works depicting scenes from Celtic mythology and rural life. His sculptures can be found in various public spaces across Scotland and the United Kingdom.
In the realm of literature, Dilon Fitzpatrick (1920-1987) was an Irish-American novelist and short story writer known for his works exploring themes of identity, immigration, and the Irish-American experience. His novel "The Binding of the Winds" received critical acclaim and was nominated for several literary awards.
Moving to more recent times, Dilon Jocko (1945-2012) was a prominent Native American activist and leader of the Lakota tribe. He played a crucial role in the American Indian Movement and was involved in the Wounded Knee Incident of 1973, a historic protest against the mistreatment of Native Americans.
While the name Dilon may not be as widely used today as it once was, its rich history and cultural significance continue to resonate, particularly within communities with Celtic and Irish heritage.
People
Dilon + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Dilon as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with D
Other first names starting with D with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Dilon: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Dilon?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 417 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Dilon going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 821,953 US residents.
Is Dilon a common name?
We classify Dilon as "Very Rare". It ranks above 82.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 424 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Dilon most popular?
The single biggest year for Dilon was 2003, when 27 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Dilon is about 24 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Dilon a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Dilon in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.