Rowan

Rowan - A unique male name

Rowan appeared on the charts for the first time in 1964 on position #1739. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Rowan and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Rowan? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Rowan. The baby boy name Rowan was given to 5,212 baby boys in 2025, ranking #58 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 281 baby boys were given this name - making this a unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Rowan peaked in popularity 1 years ago in 2025 on position 58.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Rowan, 1-5?

Rowan is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Rowan is currently topping the baby name charts in Wyoming at position #5 - and is the least popular in New Jersey at position #163.

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 Rowan is where you live.

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Rowan origin and meaning

Irish surname transfer, blended with the tree name

Little red one — from Irish Ruadhán, ruadh, red; the rowan tree is named for its red berries

Two reds meet in Rowan: the Irish surname Ó Ruadháin ('descendant of the little red-haired one') and the rowan, or mountain ash, whose scarlet berries made it a protective tree in Scottish and Irish folklore — one was planted by the door to keep witches away.

Attested etymology

Rowan is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Rowan, pop culture references for the name Rowan and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Rowan

We've found the following names that sound similar to Rowan, sorted by popularity.

Ryan / Ronnie / Roman / Ramon / Rene / Ron / Romeo / Ronan / Ronny / Remy /

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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)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Rowan

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 Rowan a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Rowan?

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.

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Pronunciation

ROH-un · /ˈroʊən/

Around the world

• Ruadhán (Irish) — The source of the surname stream — 'little red one', the name of an Irish saint.

Spellings and nicknames

• Rowen — Streamlined respelling.
• Rowanne — The elaborated feminine form.
• Rohan — A different name entirely (Sanskrit; also Tolkien's kingdom) that is constantly confused with Rowan.

Nicknames: RoRow

Famous bearers

• Rowan Atkinson — Actor and comedian (Mr. Bean, Blackadder) (b. 1955) Contemporary

Style

NatureSurnameInternational

Why parents choose it

Two reds meet in Rowan: the Irish 'little red one' and the rowan tree, planted by Scottish doors to ward off witches. Parents choose it as a gentle nature name with folklore in its roots — and it crosses genders gracefully.

Worth knowing

• Rowan vs Rohan confusion is constant — different names, different continents.
• It is rising for girls as well; many Rowans will share the name across genders.