Rowan Name Meaning

Rowan is traditionally a masculine name, and it is associated with strength, courage, and wisdom. It is also thought to bring luck and protection to its bearer. The name is also associated with the ron tree, which is known for its strong wood and protective properties.

History of the Name Rowan

Rowan has been a popular name for boys since the late 19th century, but it has its origins in the ancient Celtic language. The name is derived from the word for a type of tree, and it was first used as a given name in Ireland and Scotland. It was first recorded in the U.S. in the late 19th century, and it quickly became popular.

Origins of the Name Rowan

Rowan is derived from the Old Irish word rón, which means “little seal” or “red-haired one”. The name is also related to the Welsh name Rhonwen, which means “white-haired one”. It is believed that the name Rowan is related to the ron tree found in Scotland, Ireland, and northern England, which is also known as the mountain ash tree.

Popularity of the Name Rowan

Rowan is a popular name for boys in the United States. It was first recorded in the late 19th century, and its popularity has steadily increased since then. According to the United States Social Security Administration, Rowan was the 152nd most popular name for boys in 2019, and it has been in the top 150 for the past five years.

Final Thoughts on the Name Rowan

Rowan is a timeless name with ancient roots and modern appeal. It is associated with strength, courage, and wisdom, and it is thought to bring luck and protection to its bearer. Rowan has been a popular name for boys in the United States since the late 19th century, and it continues to be a popular choice today.

Infographic of Rowan name meaning, which is A Gaelic name, Rowan means of the rowan tree.
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Rowan Name Popularity

How popular is the name Rowan? Here’s everything we know.

Year Rank # Births % Births
1910 0 0%
1911 0 0%
1912 0 0%
1913 0 0%
1914 0 0%
1915 0 0%
1916 0 0%
1917 0 0%
1918 0 0%
1919 0 0%
1920 0 0%
1921 0 0%
1922 0 0%
1923 0 0%
1924 0 0%
1925 0 0%
1926 0 0%
1927 0 0%
1928 0 0%
1929 0 0%
1930 0 0%
1931 0 0%
1932 0 0%
1933 0 0%
1934 0 0%
1935 0 0%
1936 0 0%
1937 0 0%
1938 0 0%
1939 0 0%
1940 0 0%
1941 0 0%
1942 0 0%
1943 0 0%
1944 0 0%
1945 0 0%
1946 0 0%
1947 0 0%
1948 0 0%
1949 0 0%
1950 0 0%
1951 0 0%
1952 0 0%
1953 0 0%
1954 0 0%
1955 0 0%
1956 0 0%
1957 0 0%
1958 0 0%
1959 0 0%
1960 0 0%
1961 0 0%
1962 0 0%
1963 0 0%
1964 1,574 5 0.0003%
1965 0 0%
1966 0 0%
1967 0 0%
1968 0 0%
1969 0 0%
1970 0 0%
1971 0 0%
1972 0 0%
1973 0 0%
1974 0 0%
1975 0 0%
1976 0 0%
1977 0 0%
1978 0 0%
1979 0 0%
1980 1,959 5 0.0003%
1981 0 0%
1982 0 0%
1983 0 0%
1984 0 0%
1985 2,143 5 0.0003%
1986 0 0%
1987 0 0%
1988 2,429 5 0.0003%
1989 0 0%
1990 2,286 6 0.0004%
1991 2,072 9 0.0006%
1992 1,652 19 0.0012%
1993 1,707 16 0.001%
1994 1,980 12 0.0008%
1995 1,643 19 0.0013%
1996 1,537 25 0.0017%
1997 1,123 64 0.0043%
1998 1,431 35 0.0023%
1999 1,062 78 0.0052%
2000 947 110 0.0072%
2001 840 146 0.0097%
2002 828 149 0.0099%
2003 624 286 0.0188%
2004 489 470 0.0308%
2005 440 565 0.037%
2006 427 632 0.0404%
2007 358 857 0.0543%
2008 338 947 0.0613%
2009 328 940 0.0629%
2010 327 929 0.0645%
2011 306 1,019 0.0715%
2012 298 1,129 0.0792%
2013 287 1,179 0.0828%
2014 234 1,542 0.1058%
2015 217 1,806 0.1241%
2016 181 2,190 0.1519%
2017 140 2,819 0.202%
2018 129 3,020 0.2198%
2019 118 3,204 0.2367%
2020 113 3,160 0.2483%
2021 106 3,617 0.2959%
2022 96 3,666 0.2779%

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Data via SSA.gov.


Names Like Rowan

If you like Rowan, you’ll love these other names like Rowan.


What names are variants of Rowan?

Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Rowan.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Roan

Little red-head

Gaelic

Rohan

Red-haired, red; ascending

Indian (Sanskrit)

Rowe

Roe deer; renowned land; little red-head

German

Rowen

Red-haired; little red-head

Irish


What names sound like Rowan?

If you like how Rowan sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Rowan.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Rian

King

Gaelic

Roane

Red-haired, red; ascending

Indian (Sanskrit)

Ron

Mountain of strength; crooked nose; ruler's counselor

Scottish

Ronn

Ruler's counselor

Scandinavian

Royan

Red-haired, red; ascending

Indian (Sanskrit)

Ryan

Little king

Irish


What names are similar to Rowan?

Find a name that’s like Rowan, but just a little bit different.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Rooney

Red-haired

Irish


Lists With Rowan

Find inspiration in these baby boy name lists featuring the name Rowan.


Siblings of Rowan

Mamas with kids named Rowan also have kids with these names.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Scarlett

Shade of red

English

Sayer

Wood-worker

Welsh

Selah

Rock

Hebrew

Damon

One who tames, subdues

Greek

Maverick

Independent one

American

Ruby

Red gemstone

English

Lily

Lily flower

English

Ivy

Ivy plant

English

Daisy

Daisy flower

English

Arlo

Armed hill

English

Juniper

Juniper tree

English

27 Comments

  1. A strong and different name that is not strange.

  2. Rowan was on my list of about 40 names that I had scoured the web, family names, books, TV, and recommendations over years for (I love reading and writing, and names are very meaningful to me). I wanted something that was uncommon but not too rare, nature based, and having good roots in story. The mythology about Rowan trees is intriguing, and makes his name balanced. It’s a somewhat common name so people will pronounce it right by default, but it’s not so common that he will have 5 peers of the same name! It’s a beautiful, flowing name as well. Charming and with good nickname potential. We call him Ro!

  3. It has Celtic origins and means Tree of Life. It also stands for courage, wisdom and protection. All things I love about his name. One thing I did not know is that it has a girl version in this country!

  4. Pretty cool name

  5. I heard the name years ago when I worked in child care, it’s been a favorite ever since. It is of Irish origin, is the name of a tree and appears in some beautiful stories and poems (including one from The Lord of the Rings!) I love that it is simple, easily pronounced and old.

  6. Rowan is just such a good strong name and we chose it because it flows with his middle names. It also has Irish and Scottish origins and his father has a lot of Irish in him so it was fitting.

  7. Name of a magical tree, nature oriented

  8. I love that it was earthy because he’s named after the Rowan tree.

  9. We chose this name firstly because we liked it, secondly because the Rowan tree symbolizes protection, wisdom and courage- all three of which we’d like to foster in him as he grows up (he’s our firstborn).

  10. I thought I’d had a second miscarriage with Rowan, and two days later I suddenly and unexpectedly lost my father. Then a few days after my Dad’s funeral I discovered I was in fact still pregnant. It’s been a bittersweet pregnancy due to my grief over my father and also being a rainbow baby. The Rowan tree is the Tree of Life and holds a lot of sacred mythology around protection so it felt like the perfect name for someone who has been born from grief and loss.

  11. My husband and I both agreed we would name our baby Rowan if it was a girl because we could honor our Irish roots and we both loved gender-neutral names. Win-win! I love it!

  12. We just liked the name Rowan. Realized after we picked it that Rowan is also a tree, which is fitting because my husband is an arborist!

  13. I have never heard of the name I came across it looking though thousands of names and it stuck I love the name and it a coincidence behind the meaning because my son was also born with red hair everyone love his unique name and it’s great he’s a unique one of a kind little boy

  14. We chose Rowan so we could plant a Rowan tree on our property that would grow alongside our boy. We kept our placenta and it will be placed in the hole to nourish the tree as it grows, as it nourished our baby boy in the womb.
    We chose Rowan over other tree’s as there is a species that is native to our region, the flowers and berries are beneficial to pollinators of all kinds, and the tree itself is steeped in mythology. My husband and I want our boy to have a deep appreciation for and connection to the natural world just as we do.

  15. Rowan was the first name my husband and I pondered, even before trying to conceive, and we liked that it worked for a boy or girl. Our sons name is Rowan Wilhelm and we feel like it’s a great, strong name.

  16. I chose the name Rowan mainly because I love unique names. It had somewhat of an “antique” feel in my opinion. Then I went online and realized the meaning is the tree of life and that it protects the area in which it grows and I knew then I had found the perfect name!

  17. Rowan is our 6th baby. We never found out gender with any of them, but with the previous 3 being girls, we kind of thought he would be another, but surprise! We didn’t have a boy name. My kids have all Irish names, so while browsing in the hospital, I found Rowan, it jumped out at me, and it just suited him. It wasn’t even on my list. My husband was not on board, but eventually gave in. 9 months later,we both agree it’s perfect for him!

  18. I asked my 2 year old what we should name the baby and he said Rowan. We don’t know where he heard that name but we instantly fell in love with it! It’s a lovely Gaelic name that melds well with Alden, his older brothers name.

  19. I actually was scrolling through Pinterest when I saw it and it just stuck with me. I absolutely loved the name and still do. After I finally saw him I knew that Rowan was a perfect name for my little man.

  20. We don’t find out gender until birth. He was our sixth child and we really weren’t set on names. It wasn’t even on my short list…for a boy or girl. It just came to me though because I thought it really suited him. My husband wasn’t on board at first, but agreed after a week or so.

  21. Rowan is a real tree, in the mountain ash tree family. Used in fairy tales stories to make wands and staffs. In real life it is a strong wood. My other kids have plant names, lily,ivy,daisy, and arlo a boy.

  22. Rowan is a real tree, in the mountain ash tree family. Used in fairy tales stories to make wands and staffs. In real life it is a strong wood.

  23. We have a passion for all things mountains, outdoors, and especially rivers. After a long pursuit of names associated with boating and rivers (names like Stone, Stearn, Canyon were among some), we arrived at Rowan. We love to “row” and felt the sound of that name was fitting for our son.

  24. Tree name
    Liked the sound of it from The Wicker Man movie

  25. I found it online while looking for baby names and fell in love his father didn’t like it at first but then decided he liked that name best out of the other names

  26. Loved the nature meaning behind Rowan. It’s an Irish tree that has red berries. Our little one came out with a full head of blonde hair tinted with red. We also loved the name Roman, but we’re more Irish than Italian and this name was one letter off.

  27. I love the name Rowan. My son’s name is Rowan and the meaning (little red-head; red flowering tree) and origin (Gaelic) behind it is why we chose it. It is also a family surname on my mom’s side.


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