Owen

Meaning: Uncertain; possibly well-born
Origin: Welsh — Anglicized form of Owain

Boy's name · #31 in the US (2025) · Comeback

Popularity over time

Owen was #151 in 1884, slipped to #524 by 1970, climbed back to #18 by 2022, and currently stands at #31. Roughly 246,000 boys have been named Owen since 1880. In all that time it has never once missed a year of the national records.

Across the states

See where Owen is more common.

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 51 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Around the world

See how Owen ranks in other countries and regions.

#26 in Canada (2025) · #33 in Netherlands (2025) · #48 in Puerto Rico (2025) · #72 in France (2025) · #77 in Belgium (2025) · #81 in Australia (QLD) (2025) · #107 in Scotland (2025) · #117 in New Zealand (2025) · #170 in England & Wales (2025) · #175 in N. Ireland (2025) · #191 in Ecuador (2025) · #244 in Switzerland (2025) and 9 more.

Famous Owens

Owen Willans Richardson — British physicist (1879–1959)
Owen Wilson — American actor (born 1968)
Owen Chamberlain — American physicist (1920–2006)
Owen Hargreaves — England footballer and TV pundit (born 1981)
Owen Hart — Canadian-American wrestler (1965–1999)
Owen Tudor — Welsh courtier and soldier (c. 1400–1461)
Owen K. Garriott — American electrical engineer and astronaut (1930–2019)
Owen D. Young — American industrialist, lawyer, and diplomat (1874–1962)
Owen Arthur — Prime Minister of Barbados from 1994 to 2008 (1949–2020)

In stories & tradition

Owen Lars — Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (film)
Owen Hunt — Grey's Anatomy (TV series)
Owen Grady — Jurassic World character

What Owens become

Among 957 notable people named Owen:

Sports figures appear 1.61× more often than among typical names — e.g. Owen Hargreaves, England footballer and TV pundit (born 1981).

Twin names

Popular twin pairings with Owen include Evan for a boy, and Olivia for a girl.

Similar names: Leo · Jack · Nolan · Aiden · Logan · Luke

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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