Rowan
Boy name · #59 in 2025 · Very well-known
In 2025, 5,212 baby boys were named Rowan, placing it at #59 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #219, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 345 boys born in 2025 was named Rowan.
The 109-year story
Rowan first appears in the Social Security records in 1916, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 5,212 babies and a rank of #59. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. 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.
Babies named Rowan per year. Source: SSA.
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 "very well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Rowan is most common
Geography matters for names, and Rowan is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Rowan is most common in WY (17 per 1,000), VT (11 per 1,000), NH (9.1 per 1,000), ME (8.1 per 1,000), ND (7.7 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 3.6 per 1,000 boys. 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 Roman, Waylon, Weston, Elian, and Nolan.
RomanWaylonWestonElianNolanRiverBrooksSilas
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Rowan | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5,212 | #59 |
| 2024 | 4,667 | #71 |
| 2023 | 4,215 | #76 |
| 2022 | 3,763 | #96 |
| 2021 | 3,648 | #105 |
| 2020 | 3,258 | #113 |
| 2019 | 3,223 | #118 |
| 2018 | 3,041 | #129 |
| 2017 | 2,847 | #140 |
| 2016 | 2,194 | #182 |
| 2015 | 1,816 | #219 |
| 2014 | 1,548 | #240 |
| 2013 | 1,197 | #292 |
| 2012 | 1,151 | #300 |
| 2011 | 1,047 | #309 |
| 2010 | 955 | #328 |
| 2009 | 958 | #332 |
| 2008 | 973 | #338 |
| 2007 | 869 | #365 |
| 2006 | 673 | #423 |
| 2005 | 603 | #437 |
| 2004 | 529 | #476 |
| 2003 | 328 | #624 |
| 2002 | 206 | #816 |
| 2001 | 197 | #828 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Rowan a popular boy name?
Rowan ranked #59 among boys in 2025 with 5,212 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #219.
When was the name Rowan most popular?
Rowan peaked in 2025, when 5,212 American boys received the name (ranked #59 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Rowan?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 345 newborn American boys was named Rowan. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very well-known".
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.