Rowan
Top 1000
About Rowan
Stylish, gentle, and rustic at the same time, Rowan is a name that falls into various categories. Unisex and cool, mystical and woodsy, with the feel of both Rose and Riley, Rowan is a fresh but familiar choice.
The name has multiple origins, possibly deriving from the Irish Ruadhán, meaning "little redhead", or from the names Rowena and Rhonwen, meaning "famous friend" and "white spear."
Alternatively, it might be taken from the rowan tree, a red-berried tree whose name derives from Old Norse and means "to redden." In folklore and mythology, rowan trees are seen as a symbol of protection and of life, used to ward off evil.
Rowan was an obscure name in the US before Brooke Shields chose it for her daughter in 2003. The name entered the US Top 1000 the same year and it’s been climbing in popularity ever since. Now, over 1000 girls are called Rowan every year, versus about 4000 baby boys.
Notable namesakes include the actress and activist, Rowan Blanchard, and Rowan Ellis, an author and Youtuber who makes video essays. In fiction, Rowan Mayfair is a powerful witch in Anne Rice’s novel The Witching Hour and Rowan Love is the quirky and creative older sister in Karen McCombie’s Ally’s World series.
Pronounced ROH-un.
As of October 2026, Rowan ranked #249 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #212 in 2017, Nameberry popularity #226.
Editor's take: The name Rowan is a girl's name of Scottish, Irish origin meaning "rowan tree; little redhead".
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #413 | 774 | 433.3 |
| 2015 | #331 | 989 | 554 |
| 2016 | #240 | 1,351 | 762.4 |
| 2017 | #212 | 1,448 | 838.7 |
| 2018 | #212 | 1,459 | 857.7 |
| 2019 | #230 | 1,352 | 805.5 |
| 2020 | #255 | 1,179 | 729.3 |
| 2021 | #241 | 1,261 | 768.5 |
| 2022 | #277 | 1,138 | 693.8 |
| 2023 | #234 | 1,287 | 802.1 |
| 2024 | #266 | 1,193 | 736.3 |
| 2025 | #249 | 1,240 | 771.5 |
World rankings
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Rowan.
- Arden
- Harlow
- Rory
- Sloane
- Noa
- Quinn
- Marlowe
- Fallon
- Emie
- Finley
- Eden
- Remi
- Blair
- Wren
- Arlynn
- Romy
- Emerson
- Lennon
- Elowyn
- Emery
Rowan on lists
Famous Rowans
- Rowan Eleanor Blanchard
American child actress and activist
- Rowan Reid (b. 1992)
daughter of actress Margi Clarke and artist Jamie Reid
- Rowan Francis Henchy (b. 2001)
daughter of actress Brooke Shields
- Rowan Grey Nesser (b. 2009)
daughter of skateboarder Steve Nesser
- Rowan Louise Way (b. 2017)
daughter of Electric Century and My Chemical Romance Bassist Mikey Way
- Rowan McKee Melia (b. 2017)
daughter of American soccer player Tim Melia and Kristen Melia
Rowan in pop culture
- Rowan Blackshaw
character on TV's "The Returned"
- Rowan Woodward
character in 2006 film "The Wicker Man"
- Rowan Webster
character in "Rescue" by Anita Shreve
- "The Rowan
" a novel by Anne McCaffrey
- Rowan University in Glassboro
New Jersey
- Rowan Oak
William Faulkner's home in Oxford, Mississippi
- Rowan Whitethorn
Character from Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas
- Rowan Fox
character in "13 Treasures" trilogy by Michelle Harrison
- Rowan Grey
rp character in realplay DnD podcast Drunks and Dragons. Played by Jennifer Cheek.
- Professor Rowan
professor in Game Freak's Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum games
- Rowan Khanna
a character in Hogwarts Mystery