Rowan
Rowan Origin and Meaning
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.
- Rowan Rank in US Top 1000
- Rowan Rank in Nameberry Top 1000
- Names Similar to Rowan
- Famous People Named Rowan
- The name Rowan in Pop Culture
- The name Rowan in Nameberry Blog Posts
- The name Rowan in Nameberry Forums
Rowan Rank in US Top 1000
Rowan Rank in Nameberry Top 1000
Popularity of the name Rowan
20 Names Similar to Rowan
Famous People Named Rowan
- Rowan Eleanor BlanchardAmerican 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
The name Rowan in Pop Culture
- Rowan Blackshawcharacter on TV's "The Returned"
- Rowan Woodwardcharacter in 2006 film "The Wicker Man"
- Rowan Webstercharacter in "Rescue" by Anita Shreve
- "The Rowan" a novel by Anne McCaffrey
- Rowan University in GlassboroNew Jersey
- Rowan OakWilliam Faulkner's home in Oxford, Mississippi
- Rowan WhitethornCharacter from Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas
- Rowan Foxcharacter in "13 Treasures" trilogy by Michelle Harrison
- Rowan Greyrp character in realplay DnD podcast Drunks and Dragons. Played by Jennifer Cheek.
- Professor Rowanprofessor in Game Freak's Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum games
- Rowan Khannaa character in Hogwarts Mystery
The name Rowan in Nameberry Blog Posts
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