Rowan: name meaning, origin & popularity
- Meaning
- “little red-haired one”
- Origin
- Irish
- Say it
- ROH-uhn · 2 syllables
- Used for
- Both (32% girls, 68% boys since 1880)
Rowan can come from an Irish surname derived from Ruadhán, meaning 'little red one.' It is also associated in English with the rowan tree, which reinforces its modern nature-name appeal.
How popular is Rowan?
Babies named Rowan in 20245,840
2024 rank#71 boys
Peak year2024
Total US babies since 188066,362
Rowan is rising: use over the last five years is 3.0× what it was a decade earlier.
Names like Rowan
Variants, related forms and names with the same roots.
Rowan questions
What does the name Rowan mean?
Rowan means "little red-haired one". It comes from Irish. Rowan can come from an Irish surname derived from Ruadhán, meaning 'little red one.' It is also associated in English with the rowan tree, which reinforces its modern nature-name appeal.
Is Rowan a boy or girl name?
Rowan is used for both: about 32% of US babies named Rowan since 1880 were girls.
How popular is Rowan?
5,840 US babies were named Rowan in 2024. Its peak year was 2024.
How do you pronounce Rowan?
Rowan is usually pronounced ROH-uhn.
Birth counts: US Social Security Administration national data, 1880–2024 (names given to 5+ babies of a sex in a year). How we write meanings.