Rowan (/ˈroʊən/) is a traditionally masculine Irish given name and surname, now also in use as a given name for girls.[1] Variants of the name include Roan,[2] Rohan, Ruadhán, and Ruadh. The name comes from the Irish surname Ó Ruadháin[3] and from the word ruadh, meaning "red-haired" or "rusty." When used as a feminine name, it is often in reference to the tree, the name of which has Scandinavian origins.[4] It is also an Arabic feminine name (روان) referring to a river in Paradise.[5] The name shares the same roots as the names Raya, Rana, Rania and Rayan.
| Pronunciation | /ˈroʊən/ |
|---|---|
| Gender | Unisex |
| Language(s) |
|
| Other names | |
| See also | |
Notable people with the name include:
Surname edit
- Andrew Summers Rowan (1857–1943), American army officer
- Archibald Hamilton Rowan (1751–1834), Irish celebrity and founding member of The Dublin Society of United Irishmen
- Athol Rowan (1921–1998), South African cricketer
- Barbara Ann Rowan (1938–2020), American attorney
- Carl Rowan (1925–2000), American journalist and author
- Chad Rowan (1969–2024), Akebono, Hawaiian sumo wrestler
- Sir Charles Rowan (c. 1782 – 1852), officer in the British Army and Commissioner of Police of the (London) Metropolis
- Dan Rowan (1922–1987), American actor and comedian, Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
- Dave Rowan (1882–1955), Canadian baseball player
- Dawn Rowan (born 1946), Australian therapist
- Dominic Rowan (born 1970), English actor
- Ellis Rowan (1847–1922), Australian naturalist and illustrator
- Eric Rowan (1909–1993), South African cricketer
- Erick Rowan (born 1981), ring name of American wrestler Joseph Rudd
- Ev Rowan (1902–1956), American football player
- Ford Rowan, American television reporter, and panelist on Meet the Press
- George Rowan, Scottish footballer
- Henry Rowan (1923–2015), American philanthropist and engineer, namesake of Rowan University
- Jenny Rowan (born 1949), New Zealand politician
- John Rowan (disambiguation), several people
- Jonathan Rowan (born 1981), English footballer
- Joseph Rowan (1870–1930), US Representative from New York
- Kelly Rowan (born 1965), Canadian actress and model
- Leslie Rowan (1908–1972), British civil servant and industrialist
- Lou Rowan (1925–2017), Australian cricket umpire
- Louis R. Rowan (1911–1988), American businessman and racehorse owner and breeder
- Matthew Rowan (died 1769), acting governor of North Carolina, 1753–54
- Peter Rowan (born 1942), American bluegrass musician and composer
- Ron Rowan (born 1962), American basketball player
- Sheila Rowan (physicist) (born 1969), British physicist
- Stephen Clegg Rowan (1808–1890), American vice admiral
- William Rowan (1789–1879), British military commander
Given name edit
- Saint Rowan, Irish abbot of the 6th century and one of the Apostles of Ireland
- Rowan Alexander, Scottish footballer and manager
- Rowan Atkinson (born 1955), English actor, comedian, and screenwriter
- Rowan Barrett (born 1972), Canadian basketball player in Israeli Basketball Premier League
- Rowan Blanchard (born 2001), American actress
- Rowan Hisayo Buchanan, American writer
- Rowan Crothers (born 1997), Australian swimmer
- Rowan Cronjé (1937–2014), Rhodesian politician
- Rowan Deacon, English director and filmmaker
- Rowan Pelling (born 1968), British editrice and columnist
- Rowan Vine (born 1982), English footballer
- Rowan Williams (born 1950), Archbishop of Canterbury
- Rowan Woods, Australian film director
- William Rowan Hamilton (1805–1865), Irish mathematician
Fictional characters edit
- Rowan, one of the two main protagonists in Fire Emblem Warriors
- Rowan, the main character in Emily Rodda's Rowan of Rin fantasy books
- Rowan Damisch, one of the two main characters in the novel Scythe
- Rowan Khanna, in the mobile game Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
- Rowan LaFontaine, in the film Jason X
- Rowan Mayfair, in the Lives of the Mayfair Witches trilogy by Anne Rice
- Rowan Mills, in NBC's The Blacklist
- Rowan Morrison, in 1973 film The Wicker Man
- Rowan North, the main antagonist of the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot
- Rowan Omondi, a main character in Alice Oseman's I Was Born for This
- Rowan Theirin (née Guerrin), in Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne by David Gaider
- Rowan Whitethorn, in the Throne of Glass book series by Sarah J. Maas
- Professor Rowan, in the Pokémon franchise
- Lily Rowan, in the Nero Wolfe franchise by Rex Stout
- Rosalie Rowan, in the DC Animated Universe
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Williams, Alex (18 August 2016). "Is Hayden a Boy or Girl? Both. 'Post-Gender' Baby Names Are on the Rise". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
- ^ "Roan – meaning of Roan – name Roan". Retrieved 2012-07-19.
- ^ "Behind the Name: Meaning, Origin and History of the Name Rowan". Retrieved 2012-07-19.
- ^ Hanks, Patrick; Hardcastle, Kate; Hodges, Flavia (2006). Oxford Dictionary of First Names. Oxford University Press. p. 236. ISBN 0-19-861060-2.
- ^ "Al-Ahram Weekly | Living | What's in a name?". Archived from the original on 2015-01-13. Retrieved 2012-11-17.
This page or section lists people that share the same given name or the same family name.
If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change that link to point directly to the intended article.
If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change that link to point directly to the intended article.