Boy · Welsh (ultimately Greek) · International
Owen
OwenSay it OH-in
- Meaning today
- Noble, well-born, young warrior
- Original meaning
- "Celtic name traced to Greek eugenēs, "well-born, noble"" Online Etymology Dictionary
- Say it
- OH-in
- Other spellings
- Owain, Owyn
Owen
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Owen meaning
Owen is an international boy's name of Welsh origin (ultimately Greek).
Celtic name traced to Greek eugenēs, "well-born, noble"
Also used to mean: young warrior
Owen is the English spelling of the Welsh name Owain. The Online Etymology Dictionary traces it through Old Welsh Eugein and Old Irish Eogán to Greek eugenēs, 'well-born', a name medieval clerks often wrote in Latin as Eugenius. Liddell, Scott and Jones give eugenēs as well-born or of noble race, and also noble-minded. Baby-name lists give 'noble' or 'well-born', which matches, and sometimes 'young warrior', a sense we did not find in the sources. The best-known bearer is Owain Glyndŵr, the Welsh prince who rose against English rule around 1400. It is said OH-in.
Source: Online Etymology Dictionary (etymonline.com) · entry Owen · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026
References: Online Etymology Dictionary, Owen · LSJ, εὐγενής (via Logeion) · Wikipedia, Owain Glyndŵr
Famous namesakes
- Owain Glyndŵr, Welsh prince and national hero
Popularity abroad
- #31 United States, boys 2025 (down 5 from 26 in 2024)
US Social Security Administration - #170 England and Wales, boys 2025
Office for National Statistics
Official birth registrations. India publishes no national name statistics.
Spellings
Owen · Owain · Owyn