Roan
Roan is a Frisian given name. It is sometimes used also in other languages such as English, where it can be also an alternate form of Rowan. It can be also a surname. Variants of the name include Ronne. It comes from Proto-Germanic *hrabanaz meaning "raven".
Meaning & Origin of Roan
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Roan is a Frisian given name. It is sometimes used also in other languages such as English, where it can be also an alternate form of Rowan. It can be also a surname. Variants of the name include Ronne. It comes from Proto-Germanic *hrabanaz meaning "raven".
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Roan
As a girl name
Roan first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1999, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2021, when 19 Roans were born — ranking #6,166 that year. As of 2026, Roan ranks #8,247 for girls with 12 births, falling sharply (-24%). In total, more than 279 Roans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Roan first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1926, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2024, when 141 Roans were born — ranking #1,347 that year. As of 2026, Roan ranks #1,407 for boys with 133 births, holding steady (-1%). In total, more than 3K Roans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Roan
Phonetically similar names — useful when Roan 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 Roan
What does the name Roan mean?
How popular is Roan in 2026?
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In which U.S. states is Roan most popular?
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About the name Roan
Roan is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1926 and has accumulated 3K births in the dataset. Roan's peak popularity came in 2024 when it ranked #1,347. Use the chart and map above to compare Roan's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2024 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "R" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.