Unisex name · Irish Gaelic
Rowan
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: little red oneRowan is a gender-neutral name that comes from Irish Gaelic and means "little red one". It is used in English and Irish.
- Meaning
- Little red one
- Origin
- Irish Gaelic
- Gender
- Unisex
- US rank
- #249 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Rowan
As a gender-neutral name, Rowan comes from Irish Gaelic and means "little red one". It is used in English and Irish.
As a boy's name, Rowan comes from Irish Gaelic and means "little red one". It is used in English and Irish.
In Irish, say ROH-an. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Rowan is also a surname: the 2,626th most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 13,418 people. See the most common last names.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Rowan on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Rowan on 10 lists.
“A hardy mountain tree with red berries”
From Redneck names for boys, outdoorsy country boy names
“Little red one; Irish Gaelic. Also the name of a red-berried tree”
From Boy middle names, nature middle names for boys
“Tree with red winter berries and old protective lore”
From Reindeer names, boy reindeer names
“Little red one; Irish Gaelic, also a tree with red berries”
From Cute boy names, cute nature names for boys
“Little red one; Irish Gaelic, also a tree with red berries”
From Gender neutral names, popular gender-neutral names
“After the red-berried Scottish tree”
From Highland cattle names, highland cow names by coat color
“From Ruadhán, little red one; also a mountain-ash tree. Say ROH-an.”
From Irish boy names, irish surnames used as boy names
“From the Irish name Ruadhán, little red one; also given for the rowan tree, a word of Norse origin”
From Nature names, tree and forest names
“Irish for little red one, and a red-berried tree”
From Orange cat names, names that mean red or fire
“Irish for little red one; also a tree said to ward off spells”
From Witch names, witchy names for girls
How popular is Rowan?
In 2025, 1,240 girls and 5,212 boys in the US were named Rowan.
As a girl’s name
- US rank in 2025
- #249
- 1,240 babies, 771 per million girls
- Best rank
- #212 in 2018
- 1,459 babies that year
- Babies since 1942
- At least 22,225
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 0 per million |
| 1910s | 0 per million |
| 1920s | 0 per million |
| 1930s | 0 per million |
| 1940s | 0 per million |
| 1950s | 0 per million |
| 1960s | 0 per million |
| 1970s | 0 per million |
| 1980s | 5 per million |
| 1990s | 52 per million |
| 2000s | 215 per million |
| 2010s | 567 per million |
| 2020s | 751 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #240 | #213 | #212 | #230 | #255 | #241 | #277 | #234 | #266 | #249 |
As a boy’s name
- US rank in 2025
- #59
- 5,212 babies, 3,051 per million boys
- Best rank
- #59 in 2025
- 5,212 babies that year
- Babies since 1916
- At least 50,628
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 0 per million |
| 1910s | 3 per million |
| 1920s | 7 per million |
| 1930s | 7 per million |
| 1940s | 5 per million |
| 1950s | 4 per million |
| 1960s | 4 per million |
| 1970s | 5 per million |
| 1980s | 10 per million |
| 1990s | 36 per million |
| 2000s | 275 per million |
| 2010s | 1,011 per million |
| 2020s | 2,390 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #182 | #140 | #129 | #118 | #113 | #105 | #96 | #76 | #71 | #59 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Other forms of Rowan
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- FlannaitLittle red one (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- FlannánLittle red one (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- RuadhánLittle red one (Irish Gaelic, boy)
Names spelled like Rowan
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- RomanRoman, from Rome (Latin, boy)
- RonanLittle seal (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- RohanAscending, rising (Sanskrit, boy)
- RosaRose flower (Latin, girl)
- RolandFamous land (Germanic, boy)
- RoxanaBright, shining (Persian, girl)
- RoshanLight, bright (Persian, unisex)
- RanOrchid (Japanese, girl)
- RhianMaiden, young woman (Welsh, girl)
Names with a similar meaning
- RoryRed king (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- ReidRed-haired (Old English, boy)
- RoyRed (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- RufinaRed-haired (Latin, girl)
- AkaneDeep red, madder (Japanese, girl)
- CheyenneRed speakers (Lakota, girl)
- FlannBlood red (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- GaranceMadder plant, used for red dye (French, girl)
- PhoenixDark red, crimson (Greek, unisex)
- PyrrhaFlame-colored, red (Greek, girl)
Middle names for Rowan
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
More names from Irish Gaelic
- OscarPossibly deer friend (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- FinnFair, white (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- FergusMan of vigor (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- KevinGentle birth (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- AidanLittle fire (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- AidenLittle fire (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- AodhFire, flame (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- AydenVariant of Aidan, little fire (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- BarryFair-haired (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- BrendanA prince (Irish Gaelic, boy)
Rowan: common questions
What does the name Rowan mean?
Rowan comes from Irish Gaelic and means "little red one". It also has another origin: the same meaning in another language.
Is Rowan a boy or girl name?
Rowan is used for both boys and girls. In 2025, 1,240 girls and 5,212 boys in the US were named Rowan, according to Social Security Administration data.
Where does the name Rowan come from?
Rowan comes from Irish Gaelic and means "little red one". Today it is used in English and Irish.
How popular is the name Rowan?
Rowan ranked #249 in the US in 2025, with 1,240 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Rowan?
Forms of Rowan with the same meaning and origin include Flannait (Irish), Flannán (Irish) and Ruadhán (Irish).
What middle names go with Rowan?
Middle names that flow well with Rowan include Arnold, Elton, Hazel, Honor and Isaac. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.