boy's name
Owen
OH-in
- Origin Welsh
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 4
- Popularity Top 100 (US)
- Births on record 335,035
the United States
#31
2025 births
Owen is a boy's name of Welsh origin, the anglicized form of Owain. It is usually translated as "noble-born" or "young warrior," and most scholars derive it from the Latin Eugenius, meaning well-born, absorbed into Welsh during the Roman period.
- Owen is a name of Welsh origin.
- Peaked in 2016, when 10,331 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 459 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Owen over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 758 |
| 1890s | 761 |
| 1900s | 860 |
| 1910s | 3,815 |
| 1920s | 5,892 |
| 1930s | 4,304 |
| 1940s | 3,922 |
| 1950s | 3,956 |
| 1960s | 2,922 |
| 1970s | 3,034 |
| 1980s | 4,068 |
| 1990s | 9,690 |
| 2000s | 62,022 |
| 2010s | 91,310 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 49,006 |
What Owen means
Owen is generally read as noble-born or well-born. If the derivation from the Latin Eugenius is correct, the meaning is inherited from Greek elements meaning good and born. A competing Welsh reading links it to a word for lamb or youth.
Where Owen comes from
Owen comes from the Welsh Owain, and the prevailing view derives it from the Latin Eugenius, itself from the Greek Eugenios, meaning well-born — a name absorbed into Brittonic speech during or after the Roman occupation of Britain. An alternative theory connects it to a native Welsh element meaning youth or lamb. Owain is one of the great names of Welsh history and literature: Owain mab Urien appears in Arthurian tradition, Owain Glyndŵr led the last major Welsh revolt against English rule in the early fifteenth century. The anglicized Owen spread through England and beyond from the medieval period, and also survives as the surname Bowen, from ab Owen, meaning son of Owen.
Owen in use
The surname Bowen preserves the Welsh ab Owen, meaning son of Owen.
How popular is Owen?
In 2025, Owen was given to 7,223 babies in the United States, ranking #31 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Where Owen is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
How Owen is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Owën | Owën is a rare spelling of Owen, written with a diaeresis and recorded about 35 times, mostly in France. | 35 |
Names that peaked alongside Owen
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Owen also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Owen over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Owen in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Owen
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Owen — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Owen
What does the name Owen mean?
Owen is usually translated as "noble-born," most likely from the Latin Eugenius.
Is Owen a Welsh name?
Yes. Owen is the anglicized form of the Welsh Owain.
Who was Owain Glyndŵr?
A Welsh leader who led the last major revolt against English rule in the early fifteenth century.
How popular is the name Owen?
In 2025, Owen was given to 7,223 babies in the United States, ranking #31 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Is Owen a girl's or a boy's name?
Owen is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Owen?
Owen has 2 syllables.
When was Owen most popular?
Owen peaked in 2016, when 10,331 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
Is Owen a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Owen currently ranks #22 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.