Boy · #12,015 in 2026

Owain

Owain is a name of Welsh origin, variously written in Old Welsh as Ougein, Eugein, Euguen, Iguein, Ou(u)ein, Eug(u)ein, Yuein, and in Middle Welsh as Ewein, Owein, and Ywein. Other variants of the name Owain include Ewein, Iguein, Owein, Ouein, Ywen, Ywein, Ywain, Yuein, and Yvain. Owain has also been Latinized as Oenus.

  • Welsh
  • Arthurian Cycle
Current Rank
#12,015
Peak Rank
#5,486 (2008)
Total Babies
144
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1998
First Year
2020
Last Year
2008
Peak Year
#5486
Peak Rank
144
Total Count
19
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Owain

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Owain is a name of Welsh origin, variously written in Old Welsh as Ougein, Eugein, Euguen, Iguein, Ou(u)ein, Eug(u)ein, Yuein, and in Middle Welsh as Ewein, Owein, and Ywein. Other variants of the name Owain include Ewein, Iguein, Owein, Ouein, Ywen, Ywein, Ywain, Yuein, and Yvain. Owain has also been Latinized as Oenus.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • Welsh
  • Arthurian Cycle
Etymology
Osborn Bergin proposed that the name is cognate with Old Irish Ugaine , Augaine , and suggested that the Irish name could be a British loan. Linguist Kenneth H. Jackson proposed that the name is a derivation of the Latin Eugenius , (which was more recently accepted by T.J. Morgan). Julius Pokorny favored a purely Celtic origin, from Brittonic *Ouo-genios / *Owi-genjos , "Born of Sheep", "Sheep kin". Linguists Holger Pedersen and Henry Lewis (who earlier linked the name to Gaulish *Esugenos) determined that both Jackson's and Pokorny's etymologies were phonologically impossible.

The Story of Owain

American parents first put Owain on the record books as a baby boy name in 1998, with 8 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2008, when 16 Owains were born — ranking #5,486 that year. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 46% of all recorded Owains. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2020 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 144 Owains have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Variants & Related Forms of Owain

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Owain. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Names that sound like Owain

Phonetically similar names — useful when Owain is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Owain

What does the name Owain mean?
Owain is a name of Welsh origin, variously written in Old Welsh as Ougein, Eugein, Euguen, Iguein, Ou(u)ein, Eug(u)ein, Yuein, and in Middle Welsh as Ewein, Owein, and Ywein. Other variants of the name Owain include Ewein, Iguein, Owein, Ouein, Ywen, Ywein, Ywain, Yuein, and Yvain. Owain has also been Latinized as Oenus.
What is the origin of the name Owain?
Owain has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: Welsh, Arthurian Cycle.
How popular is Owain in 2026?
In 2026, Owain ranks #12,015 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Owain most popular?
Owain reached its peak popularity in 2008, ranking #5,486 that year with 16 babies given the name.
Is Owain a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Owain is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Owain?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Owain include Karron, Damieon, Brenon. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Owain?
Common variants and related forms of Owain include Owen, Yvain, Ywain. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

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About the name Owain

Owain is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1998 and has accumulated 144 births in the dataset. Owain's peak popularity came in 2008 when it ranked #5,486. Use the chart and map above to compare Owain's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.