Rowan
Girl name · #249 in 2025 · Distinctive
In 2025, 1,240 baby girls were named Rowan, placing it at #249 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #331, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,452 girls born in 2025 was named Rowan.
Babies named Rowan per year. Source: SSA.
The 83-year story
Rowan first appears in the Social Security records in 1942, when 7 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2018, when 1,459 girls were named Rowan — good for #211 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Rowan against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Rowan in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Rowan is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Rowan is most common
Geography matters for names, and Rowan is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Rowan is most common in WV (2.2 per 1,000), NE (2.1 per 1,000), IA (2 per 1,000), MS (1.6 per 1,000), IN (1.5 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Rowan is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Rowan
Statistically, parents drawn to Rowan tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Reagan, Raegan, Teagan, Aspen, and Raelyn.
ReaganRaeganTeaganAspenRaelynRiverAdalynAylin
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Rowan | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,240 | #249 |
| 2024 | 1,198 | #266 |
| 2023 | 1,288 | #234 |
| 2022 | 1,139 | #276 |
| 2021 | 1,262 | #241 |
| 2020 | 1,179 | #255 |
| 2019 | 1,353 | #230 |
| 2018 | 1,459 | #211 |
| 2017 | 1,448 | #213 |
| 2016 | 1,351 | #239 |
| 2015 | 989 | #331 |
| 2014 | 774 | #413 |
| 2013 | 714 | #427 |
| 2012 | 684 | #453 |
| 2011 | 544 | #533 |
| 2010 | 608 | #493 |
| 2009 | 616 | #497 |
| 2008 | 676 | #471 |
| 2007 | 711 | #453 |
| 2006 | 452 | #638 |
| 2005 | 347 | #765 |
| 2004 | 379 | #707 |
| 2003 | 245 | #954 |
| 2002 | 207 | #1039 |
| 2001 | 174 | #1177 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Rowan a popular girl name?
Rowan ranked #249 among girls in 2025 with 1,240 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #331.
When was the name Rowan most popular?
Rowan peaked in 2018, when 1,459 American girls received the name (ranked #211 that year). Since 2018 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Rowan?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,452 newborn American girls was named Rowan. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.