Fun Facts About the Name Cowan
- 180 babies named Cowan: U.S. records list 180 babies given the name Cowan from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Cowan Mean?
Cowan is a Gaelic surname, usually explained as "twin." That meaning is a customary reading of an old personal name rather than a direct translation of a common word. In Scottish Gaelic the surname comes from Mac Comhghain, "son of Comhghan," in which Comhghan is a diminutive built on comh-, "together." The Irish form is Ó Comhgháin, "descendant of Comhghán," formed from the same element. "Born together, twin" is the traditional sense attached to the name, though the exact force of the root inside this compound is not certain.
Cowan is also sometimes treated as a shortened form of MacGowan, from Gaelic Mac Gobhann, "son of the smith." Because MacCowan and MacGowan both reduce to Cowan in speech, the two cannot always be separated in the records, and some families named Cowan may come from the smith's line rather than from Comhghan.
Cowan Name History & Origins
The surname took shape among Gaelic speakers in Scotland and Ireland. In Scotland, Mac Comhghain was shortened in everyday use to MacCowan and then to Cowan, and Cowan is found as an independent surname in Scottish records from the medieval period. Bearers were long linked with Galloway in the southwest, and the name also appears in Argyll and the western Highlands; tradition connects the MacCowans especially with Galloway.
In Ireland, Ó Comhgháin was anglicized in more than one way, and spelling varies by district and scribe; Cowen is one common variant of the same name. Scottish settlers carried Cowan to Ulster, where it settled alongside the older Irish family of the same derivation, and later emigrants carried it to North America and Australia.
As a first name, Cowan is a transferred use of the surname. It appears occasionally in English-speaking countries, particularly the United States, but it has not been common as a given name.
How Popular is the Name Cowan?
Cowan 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 2005. Its best rank was #3,767 in 1968.
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 | #12,422 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2023 | #11,089 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2021 | #11,055 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2018 | #11,046 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #8,268 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2015 | #8,912 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2014 | #9,852 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2013 | #9,857 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2012 | #9,915 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2011 | #8,919 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2010 | #8,279 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2009 | #8,432 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2008 | #7,300 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 2007 | #9,069 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2006 | #6,168 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 2005 | #5,333 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2004 | #7,069 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2003 | #11,215 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2002 | #10,988 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1999 | #10,203 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1997 | #9,538 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #9,272 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #9,058 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1968 | #3,767 | 6 | 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 Cowan Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are cheerful and friendly, but are apt to have an emotional life. You like to have several lines of effort going at once. You are a good talker and promoter and seldom worry over anything. At times, you can be impatient, and impulsive. You have the ability to bring an idea to completion. You can express yourself joyously and constructively. You might be psychic, but not know it. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.
You are always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are basically peacemaker. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your love, ideals, wealth or work. You can be very sensitive and could appear a bit shy and perceptive. You have developed intuition, patience and the ability to nurture others. You can achieve the state of happiness if you are willing to accept your needs in a complimentary relationship and go to create them.
✦ Cowan's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Cowan's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.