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Owen Name Meaning, Origins & History

Owen

Pronunciation: OH-uhn

Meaning Wellborn Origin Irish, Welsh Gender Boy
BOYS RANK
#31
TREND
5
GIRLS RANK
#4,329
TREND
1,573
Peak Years
2016, 2015, 2017
Lowest Years
1902, 1883, 1898
Energy Archetype
Patient & Strong-Willed

Rank shows the name’s position among U.S. baby names for each gender in 2025. Trend shows how many places it rose or fell since 2024. Rank 1 is the most popular. Based on U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) data. Peak and lowest years are based on the number of boys named Owen in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Owen

  • A newer favorite: Owen first entered the U.S. top 100 in 2002 and stayed there through 2025 - a run of 24 consecutive years.
  • More than 246 thousand babies named Owen: U.S. records list 246,277 babies given the name Owen from 1880 through 2025. Even 676 girls received the name Owen - about 1 girl for every 363 boys.

What Does the Name Owen Mean?

Owen is the English spelling of the Welsh name Owain. Its original meaning is uncertain. The explanation cited most often is that Owain comes from Latin Eugenius, itself from Greek Eugenios, meaning "well-born" or "noble." Some scholars accept this derivation; others treat Owain as an old Brittonic name with no clear Latin source and regard the resemblance to Eugenius as coincidence. No derivation has been proved, so the name's etymology remains open.

Separately, Owen has also been used as an English form of the Gaelic name Eoghan, which means "born of the yew" (from Old Irish eó, "yew"). That name shares Owen's spelling but not its origin.

Owen Name History & Origins

Owain is one of the oldest names recorded in Welsh. Its best-known early bearer was Owain ab Urien, a king of the northern British kingdom of Rheged in the late sixth century, who is remembered in medieval Welsh poetry and later became the hero of the tale Owain, or the Lady of the Fountain, the Welsh counterpart of Chrétien de Troyes's Old French romance Yvain.

The name was borne by later Welsh rulers as well. Owain Gwynedd was king of Gwynedd in the twelfth century, and Owain Glyndŵr claimed the title prince of Wales and led a revolt against English rule in the early fifteenth century. Owain ap Maredudd ap Tudur, known in English as Owen Tudor, married Catherine of Valois and became the grandfather of Henry VII; his career shows the name passing from Welsh into English use in the fifteenth century.

Because Welsh families traditionally formed surnames from the father's given name, Owen also became a Welsh surname, and from the surname it entered wider English use as a first name.

In Ireland and the Scottish Highlands, Owen (or Ewen) has also served as an English form of the unrelated Gaelic name Eoghan / Eòghan.

How Popular is the Name Owen?

Owen recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2016. Owen entered the top 100 U.S. boy names in 2002.

U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.

Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.

Famous People Named Owen

Owen Wilson
Owen Wilson

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How the Name Owen Shapes Your Personality and Life?

You are patient, persevering and strong willed. You are a good student, absorbing knowledge easily and retaining it well. You are either a saint or a sinner. You tend to hold things inside and suffer in silence. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.

Creative and outgoing, you are always looking for an opportunity to show your abilities, especially before audience. You are very flexible and like to feel appreciated. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate your ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. Easily getting bored, you can move from one job to another, switch projects and lovers. The high creative force can lead you either to happiness or unhappiness. If you understand your goals, if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty, you are able to achieve great heights.

✦ Owen's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Owen's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.
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