Owen
Boy name · Celtic · Gaelic · Irish · Welsh
Meaningwell-born · Welsh
- US rank
- #31
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #18 in 2022
7,190 babies were named Owen in the US in 2025. It has dropped 9 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1915–2025
US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Owen you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Owen
Owen Wilson
American actor (born 1968)
Choose Owen and your child shares a first name with Owen Wilson, an American actor. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Owen, like who?” Owen Wilson's Wikipedia article is available in 77 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Owen Wilson on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Owen_Wilson_Cannes_2011.jpg: Georges Biard derivative work: César (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 238 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Owen, 7,190 babies in all. In a school of 500 kids, there'd probably be one other Owen.
- HistoryOwen has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Owens, and counting.
- Best yearIts best year was 2022, when it reached #18.
- Then vs nowOwen is 3.0× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 723 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 238.
- Where it's lovedOwen is most popular in Vermont, where it ranks #9, followed by Iowa (#10) and New Hampshire (#10). It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
- MeaningIn Welsh, Owen means “well-born”. Our records link it to Celtic, Gaelic and Irish roots.
- OriginOwen is the most popular Celtic boy name in the US. That's out of 542 Celtic boy and unisex names in our list.
About the name Owen
Owen is a boy name of Celtic, Gaelic and Irish origin meaning “well-born”. It has 4 letters and 2 syllables, starting with O and ending in “-wen”. US birth records list Owen for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 2022, when it ranked #18 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #31, with 7,190 babies.
Origin:Celtic namesGaelic namesIrish namesWelsh names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 4.5 | 224,215 girls |
| 1920s | 1.6 | 609,756 girls |
| 1930s | 1.7 | 581,395 girls |
| 1950s | 0.6 | 1,694,915 girls |
| 1960s | 0.4 | 2,702,703 girls |
| 1970s | 1.1 | 925,926 girls |
| 1980s | 1.1 | 943,396 girls |
| 1990s | 1.8 | 558,659 girls |
| 2000s | 7.8 | 128,700 girls |
| 2010s | 12 | 82,237 girls |
| 2020s | 18 | 55,866 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 690 | 1,450 boys |
| 1890s | 667 | 1,499 boys |
| 1900s | 636 | 1,573 boys |
| 1910s | 582 | 1,718 boys |
| 1920s | 533 | 1,876 boys |
| 1930s | 406 | 2,463 boys |
| 1940s | 270 | 3,710 boys |
| 1950s | 196 | 5,104 boys |
| 1960s | 150 | 6,650 boys |
| 1970s | 184 | 5,438 boys |
| 1980s | 219 | 4,564 boys |
| 1990s | 501 | 1,994 boys |
| 2000s | 3,083 | 324 boys |
| 2010s | 4,849 | 206 boys |
| 2020s | 4,710 | 212 boys |
More Celtic boy names
- Unisex name: Logan · little hollow
- Unisex name: Rowan · little red-haired one
- Unisex name: Nolan · descendant of Nuallán
- Unisex name: Cameron · crooked nose
- Boy name: Ian · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Gael · a Gael
- Boy name: Arthur · possibly bear
- Unisex name: Ryan · little king
Questions about the name Owen
What does the name Owen mean?
Owen means “well-born” in Welsh.
What is the origin of the name Owen?
Owen has Celtic, Gaelic, Irish, Welsh roots in our records. Other Celtic names include Logan, Rowan, Nolan.
Is Owen a boy or girl name?
Owen is a boy name, though a few girls get it too.
How popular is the name Owen?
Owen ranked #31 for US boys in 2025, given to 7,190 babies. Its best year was 2022 (#18).