Rowenna
A feminine name of Cornish origin meaning "white meadow" or "smooth stream".
Name Census estimates that about 19 living Americans carry the first name Rowenna. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Rowenna today is around 11 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rowenna births was 2020 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rowenna. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Rowenna. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
19
~ 1 in 18,039,702 Americans
Peak year
2020
7 babies that year
Average age
11
years old
2020 SSA rank
#13,195
Tracked since 1936
Popularity
Rowenna: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Rowenna from the 1930s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 11 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Rowenna remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rowenna by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Rowenna during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Rowenna
The name Rowenna is believed to have originated from the Welsh language, specifically the Cornish region of England. It is thought to be derived from the Old Cornish words "roe," meaning red, and "gwenn," meaning white or fair. The combination of these two words suggests a meaning along the lines of "fair-haired" or "red-haired."
Tracing back to the 6th century, the name appears to have been used in the region of Cornwall, which had strong ties to the Celtic culture and language at the time. Similar spellings such as Rowena and Rowen can also be found in historical records from the area.
One of the earliest documented references to the name Rowenna can be found in the 12th-century romantic tale of "Tristan and Iseult." In this legendary story, Rowenna is mentioned as a Celtic princess. While the tale itself is largely fictional, it reflects the use and popularity of the name during the medieval period in Cornwall and surrounding regions.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Rowenna. One of the earliest recorded was Rowenna of Cornwall (c. 940-1000), a Cornish princess and landowner known for her patronage of the arts and influence in the region.
In the 16th century, Rowenna Peck (1508-1578) was a prominent English herbalist and naturalist. She was renowned for her extensive knowledge of medicinal plants and her contributions to the field of botany.
Moving forward, Rowenna Bowen (1717-1798) was a Welsh poet and songwriter whose works celebrated the cultural heritage and traditions of Wales. Her compositions were widely popular and helped preserve the Welsh language during a time of English influence.
In the 19th century, Rowenna Cade (1856-1934) was a notable British suffragist and advocate for women's rights. She played a crucial role in the campaign for women's suffrage in the United Kingdom and was instrumental in organizing protests and rallies.
Another notable figure was Rowenna Ardern (1890-1976), a pioneering Australian aviator. She was one of the first women in Australia to obtain a pilot's license and made significant contributions to the advancement of aviation for women in the early 20th century.
While these are just a few examples, the name Rowenna has been carried by individuals across various fields and eras, reflecting its rich historical roots and enduring appeal.
People
Rowenna + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rowenna as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Rowenna: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rowenna?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 19 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rowenna going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 18,039,702 US residents.
Is Rowenna a common name?
We classify Rowenna as "Very Rare". It ranks above 39.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 23 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rowenna most popular?
The single biggest year for Rowenna was 2020, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rowenna is about 11 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Rowenna a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Rowenna in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.