Owen Name Meaning, Origin, Popularity & Nicknames

Owen Name Meaning and Origin

Traditional names are on the rise, and Owen is one of the traditional names that deserves more attention and usage due to its impressive roots and meaning. Perfect for warriors and leaders, the name has been considerably unpopular recently. Here we learn more about the name and why it deserves greater attention.

What Does Owen Mean?

Belonging to Welsh and Celtic origins, the name Owen is one fit for leaders and warriors. The meaning of Owen, which is a combination of the Welsh Owain and the Celtic Eoghan, is “young warrior” or “well-born.” The name also has immense historical significance, owing to St. Owen, a Benedictine monk and a follower of St. Chad. While it is historically significant, the short name gained specific prevalence and usage between the 1990s and early 2000s, evident from many celebrities bearing the name.

Origin

The origin of the name Owen can be identified to be Greek. While Owen is made up of Welsh Owain and Celtic Eoghan, both these names are derived from the Greek term ‘eugenes.’ This term comprises the element ‘eu,’ meaning “good,” and ‘genes,’ meaning “born.” In this regard, the root and primary origin of Owen can be stated to be Greek.

Gender

Male

Pronunciation

  • Oh-When
  • Yo-When
  • Oh-Ween

Syllables

2 Syllables

Length/Letter

4 Letters

Name Variations/Spellings

Name variations in different cultures are the perfect way of incorporating different cultures in your child’s name. The Owen name variations also do the same, allowing you to become aware of the different cultural variations and alternate spellings for Owen that you can choose from.

Name Origin
Owain Welsh
Eoghan Celtic
Owyn Irish
Owaine Irish
Owan Irish
Owine Irish
Owayne Irish
Ewan English/Irish
Owens Irish
Eugene Greek/English

How Popular Is the Name Owen?

The Owen popularity index in the case of the US can be understood through the means of SSA data on baby names for each year. As per this SSA data, it can be observed that despite minor fluctuations, the average Owen baby name ranking has been improving every year. Specifically, the name has been in the top 150 names for boys since 2000. However, the name entered the top 100 in 2002 and the top 50 in 2010. It has consistently been in the top 25 since 2018, apart from ranking 23 in 2016. 2019 recorded the highest lowest ranking since 2000 at 21. This implies that the name has been gradually gaining importance and usage among new parents in the US.

Interest in Owen – Worldwide

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Interest in the name Owen has been consistently positive, recording a popularity score above 60 throughout the decade. The immense popularity of the name made it reach the score of 100 twice, in September 2012 and August 2015. The lowest score was reached at 63 in March 2020.

Interest in Owen – US

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Interest in Owen has been comparatively lesser in the US over the last decade. The name reached the highest popularity with a score of 100 in August 2015. Although it maintained popularity above the scale of 50, the lowest value recorded is 53 in March 2020.

Popularity of the name Owen

URL: https://www.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/babyname.cgi

Where Is the Name Most Searched?

Search trends of Owen – Worldwide

trends.embed.renderExploreWidget(“GEO_MAP”, {“comparisonItem”:[{“keyword”:”Owen”,”geo”:””,”time”:”2011-09-29 2021-09-29″}],”category”:0,”property”:””}, {“exploreQuery”:”date=2011-09-29%202021-09-29&q=Owen”,”guestPath”:”https://trends.google.com:443/trends/embed/”});

As per global search trends for the name, Canada has generated the highest searches. This is followed by the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia, which round up the top 5 countries generating the most searches.

Search trends of Owen – US

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Among the sub-regions in the US, Kentucky generated the highest search trends among all sub-regions. The sub-regions of Indiana, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and North Carolina round up the top 5 sub-regions with the highest interest.

Middle Names That Go With Owen

Middle names have become an essential part of Western culture. In this regard, choosing double names with Owen can help your son become a part of this glorious tradition. Some ideas include:

Michael Dean
Luke Charles
Denny Matthew
Clark Lee
Christian Thomas

Famous People Named Owen

Celebrities with a certain name can immensely help increase the popularity of the name among the newborns in the following years, influencing the decision and choices of the parents. So, if you want to get inspired to name your son Owen, here are some namesake celebrities:

Celebrity Name Profession/Famous For
Owen Wilson American Actor
Owen Daniels American Footballer
Owen Wister American Author
Owen Gleiberman American Film Critic
Owen Hart Canadian Wrestler
Owen Davidson Australian Tennis Player
Owen Paterson MP in the UK Parliament
Michael Owen English Footballer
Owen Kelly Australian Racer
Owen Hatherley English Journalist

Similar Names & Last Names

Similar baby names like Owen that exude the same sense of regality can help you shortlist the names further to select the one that suits your fancy. While possessing one of the most suitable family names for Owen is crucial to make the full name sound appealing, some other names for Owen include:

Similar Baby Names Suitable Family Names
Benjamin Cooper
Henry Stratfield
Liam Wilson
Levi Smith
Stefan Macmillan
Oliver Matthieson
Damian Jackson
Dylan Jenson
Micah Klaus
Elias Samuels

Names That Sound Like Owen

Names that sound similar to Owen can also help you maintain the name’s integrity while adopting a route unique by going for phonetic similarity. In this regard, these names that rhyme with Owen can also help to inspire you regarding unique and new names:

Steven Evan
Alvin Edwin
Ronan Evan
Ivan Ian
Ethan Theodore

Sibling Names Related to Owen

Sibling names that go with the name of your first child are crucial to maintaining harmony and balance between the names of all the children. In this regard, you need to be as careful when selecting feminine sister names for Owen as you would be when choosing attractive brother names for Owen.

Sister Names for Owen Brother Names for Owen
Andrea Samuel
Olivia Otis
Abigail Douglas
Madeline Noah
Margo Timothy
Edith Julien
Norah Randall
Josephine Corey
Amanda Connor
Annalise Elliott

Nicknames for Owen

Nicknames are the perfect way of expressing your affection for your baby. While these often may not make a whole lot of sense, you can easily put all your emotions and love towards them with adorable and often wacky nicknames. Some suggestions include:

Winnie Owie
Winwin Oni
Wynn Onion
Owie-Howie Aywin
Baby Ozzy

 

Choosing a name can be one of the easiest but also one of the most mind-boggling tasks. So, if you find yourself debating which name to use, look into this information on Owen, a classic name that has stayed attractive and relevant over the decades and centuries. Even if you choose not to name your child Owen, the many variations, similar names, and similar-sounding names can help you choose one efficiently.

Sources/References

Social Security Administration: https://www.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/babyname.cgi
Owen Name Popularity in the United States: https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=2011-09-29%202021-09-29&geo=US&q=Owen
Owen Name Popularity Across The World: https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=2011-09-29%202021-09-29&q=Owen
Owen Name Interest in the United States: https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=2011-09-29%202021-09-29&geo=US&q=Owen
Owen Name Interest Across the World: https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=2011-09-29%202021-09-29&q=Owen

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Ruchelle has a vast experience working with clients in hospitality, health and wellness, entertainment, real estate, and retail. She aims to utilise her learnings to deliver quality content which will in turn help drive sales and customer engagement.