Fun Facts About the Name Bowan
- 123 babies named Bowan: U.S. records list 123 babies given the name Bowan from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Bowan Mean?
Bowan is a spelling variant of Bowen, a Welsh patronymic surname and given name. Bowen comes from the Welsh phrase ab Owain, meaning "son of Owain"; ab is the form of the patronymic particle ap used before a vowel, and Owain is the Welsh form of Owen. The personal name Owain is often connected with Latin Eugenius, from Greek eugenēs, "well-born," though that is the etymology of Owen rather than the literal meaning of Bowen, and the derivation is not certain. The literal sense of Bowen, and of Bowan as its variant, is "son of Owain."
Bowan Name History & Origins
Bowen belongs to the Welsh patronymic system, in which ab or ap, "son of," was placed before the father's name. The phrase ab Owain was compressed into the single surname Bowen, a pattern also seen in Bevan from ab Evan. Bowen is a Welsh surname that later came into use as a given name in English-speaking countries. Bowan is a less common spelling of the same name; its development is mainly a matter of orthography rather than a separate linguistic history.
How Popular is the Name Bowan?
Bowan has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2024. Its best rank was #5,922 in 2024.
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.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #6,860 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2024 | #5,922 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2023 | #9,877 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2022 | #11,060 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2021 | #6,065 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2020 | #8,846 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2019 | #7,718 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2018 | #12,424 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #12,437 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #10,851 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2014 | #12,335 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2013 | #9,774 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2012 | #12,519 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2011 | #8,857 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2008 | #12,772 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 2002 | #10,871 | 5 | 0.0003% |
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.
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How the Name Bowan Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You can go to great heights and equally great depths. You are emotional and fixed in your opinions. You are hospitable, sentimental, often psychic, sometimes moody. You are ruled by love and the lack of it and feel a need to be encouraged and appreciated. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.
You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Bowan's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Bowan's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.