unisex name
Rowe
ROH (English)
- Origin English, Norman
- Gender Unisex
- Syllables 1
- Letters 4
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 832
Rowe is an English surname used as a unisex first name. It has several possible origins, including a medieval short form of Rolf or Rowland, Norman le Roux, "the red-haired," and Middle English rowe, "a hedgerow" or "row of houses."
- Rowe is a name of English, Norman origin.
- Peaked in 2025, when 95 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 34,899 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1914.
- 1 syllable, with the stress on syllable 1.
Rowe Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1910s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 40 |
| 1920s | 43 |
| 1930s | 59 |
| 1940s | 25 |
| 1950s | 21 |
| 1960s | 0 |
| 1970s | 0 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 14 |
| 2010s | 153 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 357 |
What Rowe Means
Rowe has no single meaning, since unrelated surnames merged in this spelling. Red-haired, a dweller by a hedgerow and a short form of Rolf are the main readings, and families may hold any of them.
Where Rowe Comes From
Surname sources divide on Rowe. House of Names points to Turchil le Roux, a Norman given lands in Norfolk after Hastings, whose byname meant red. Namepedia reads it as a landscape word, such as a row of bushes, and Middle English rowe could also describe someone living along a row of houses. A third explanation treats it as a pet form of Rowland or Rolf, both Germanic names built on hrod, fame. MomJunction connects it with Rowan and Irish Ruadhán, little red one. Rowe is especially common in Devon and Cornwall, and as a first name it's a recent choice, often paired with Rowan and Rory in style.
Rowe in Use
The surname is familiar through television host Mike Rowe and the English playwright Nicholas Rowe. As a first name its soft sound suits both boys and girls, with girls' numbers close to boys' in recent years.
How Popular Is Rowe?
In 2025, Rowe was given to 95 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Rowe 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.
Names That Peaked Alongside Rowe
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Rowe Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Rowe over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Rowe
- English ROH
Rowe 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 Rowe
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Rowe — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Rowe
What does the name Rowe mean?
It has several readings, including red-haired, a hedgerow, and a short form of Rolf.
Is Rowe a boy's or a girl's name?
It's used for both.
How do you pronounce Rowe?
ROH, rhyming with go.
How popular is the name Rowe?
In 2025, Rowe was given to 95 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
How many syllables are in Rowe?
Rowe has 1 syllable.
When was Rowe most popular?
Rowe peaked in 2025, when 95 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
Is Rowe a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Rowe currently ranks #1,334 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.