Bowen - A very unique male name
Bowen at a glance
Bowen is ranked #267 among boy baby names in 2025, with 1,266 births in 2025. It peaked in 2025 at #267 and first appeared on the charts in 1970.
- Rank in 2025
- #267
- Births in 2025
- 1,266
- Peak year
- 2025 (#267)
- First appeared
- 1970
- Trend
- #395 in 2020 → #267 in 2025 (Rising)
- Popularity
- 1 in 1,158 boys
- Visitor rating
- 4.6/5 (16 recent votes)
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration · Data through 2025 · Updated 2026
With that position 1 in 1,158 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Bowen peaked in popularity 1 years ago in 2025 on position 267.
Famous with this name
Julie Bowen
Christopher Bowen
Michael Bowen
How would you rate Bowen, 1-5?
Bowen is currently topping the charts in...
Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Bowen is currently topping the baby name charts in Mississippi at position #126 - and is the least popular in New York at position #622.Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Bowen is where you live.
Comment and discuss
Bowen origin and meaning
Welsh — transferred surname
'Son of Owen' — from Welsh ab Owain, the patronymic that contracted into the surname Bowen
Bowen began as a Welsh patronymic surname, ab Owain worn down into one word. As a first name it is recent and fast-moving: present in US data since 1970, it jumped from #395 in 2020 to #267 in 2025, its highest point yet. It belongs to the current wave of Welsh-flavoured surnames used as boys' names.
Attested etymology
Bowen is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.
To see famous people named Bowen, pop culture references for the name Bowen and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.Similar to Bowen
We've found the following names that sound similar to Bowen, sorted by popularity.
Ben / Bennie / Benny / Boone / Bonnie / Benaiah / Binyomin / Binyamin / Benyamin / Bane /Name statistics
Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better
understanding of how popular or unique this name is.
With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually
differ a lot from state to state.
Chart position per year (visualized)
Chart position per state (visualized)
Chart position per year (table view)
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 267 |
| 2024 | 319 |
| 2023 | 348 |
| 2022 | 385 |
| 2021 | 370 |
| 2020 | 395 |
| 2019 | 428 |
| 2018 | 427 |
| 2017 | 456 |
| 2016 | 479 |
| 2015 | 510 |
| 2014 | 555 |
| 2013 | 603 |
| 2012 | 609 |
| 2011 | 721 |
| 2010 | 1194 |
| 2009 | 1505 |
| 2008 | 1334 |
| 2007 | 1126 |
| 2006 | 1483 |
| 2005 | 1173 |
| 2004 | 1207 |
| 2003 | 1307 |
| 2002 | 1363 |
| 2001 | 1345 |
| 2000 | 1341 |
| 1999 | 1398 |
| 1998 | 1532 |
| 1997 | 2063 |
| 1996 | 2206 |
| 1995 | 3095 |
| 1994 | 2651 |
| 1970 | 1607 |
Chart position per state (table view)
| State | Rank |
|---|---|
| Mississippi | 126 |
| Louisiana | 127 |
| South Dakota | 128 |
| Idaho | 128 |
| Utah | 136 |
| Oklahoma | 137 |
| South Carolina | 140 |
| West Virginia | 141 |
| Iowa | 149 |
| Maine | 155 |
| Nebraska | 167 |
| North Dakota | 171 |
| Minnesota | 175 |
| Arkansas | 177 |
| Montana | 178 |
| Kentucky | 183 |
| Georgia | 189 |
| Kansas | 190 |
| Tennessee | 198 |
| Missouri | 204 |
| New Hampshire | 208 |
| North Carolina | 213 |
| Colorado | 224 |
| Indiana | 230 |
| Wisconsin | 236 |
| Virginia | 253 |
| Michigan | 266 |
| Ohio | 269 |
| Washington | 273 |
| Pennsylvania | 281 |
| Oregon | 283 |
| Illinois | 291 |
| Connecticut | 298 |
| Alabama | 302 |
| Texas | 305 |
| Florida | 356 |
| Massachusetts | 385 |
| New Jersey | 469 |
| Maryland | 524 |
| Arizona | 533 |
| California | 609 |
| New York | 622 |
Even more about Bowen
These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.
Is Bowen a common or unique name?
By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.What is the number of syllables for the name Bowen?
2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.Pronunciation
BOH-en · /ˈboʊən/
Around the world
No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.
Spellings and nicknames
Nicknames: Bo
Famous bearers
- Bowen Yang — American comedian and Saturday Night Live cast member (b. 1990) Contemporary
Style
Surname
Why parents choose it
Bowen gives parents a surname-style name with a genuine Welsh root and the easy short form Bo; it is at its peak in 2025.
Worth knowing
- It can be misheard as Owen or Beau, and some people say the second syllable more clearly than others.
