The name Rowan comes from the Old Irish name Ruadhán, which is derived from the Old Irish element rúad, meaning "red," but most people associate the name with the English word rowan, referring to the rowan tree. According to Celtic legend, the rowan tree was believed to protect individuals from bad luck, evil spirits and witchcraft. They're also known for their red berries, which was seen as a protective color. The name first appeared in the Social Security Administration's top 1,000 for boy names in 1999 and girl names in 2003. Rowan has now been a top-100 boy's name since 2022 and has ranked in the top-250 every year since 2016, with the exception of 2020 and 2022. Actress-model Brooke Shields named her first daughter Rowan Francis, born in 2003, while actors Hugh Dancy and Claire Danes share a son named Rowan, born in 2018.
