Bowen
Boy name · #266 in 2025 · Well-known
How old is the name Bowen? In official American birth records, Bowen has been tracked continuously since 1913, giving it 112 years of documented American history.
Bowen is currently the #266 boy name in the United States — 1,292 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #516, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,393 boys born in 2025 was named Bowen.
The 112-year story
Bowen first appears in the Social Security records in 1913, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 1,292 babies and a rank of #266. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Bowen per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Bowen against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Bowen in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Bowen is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Bowen is most common
Geography matters for names, and Bowen is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Bowen is most common in SD (2.6 per 1,000), ID (2.3 per 1,000), MS (2.3 per 1,000), WV (2.3 per 1,000), LA (2 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.9 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Bowen is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Bowen
Statistically, parents drawn to Bowen tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Rowen, Kohen, Jensen, Benson, and Cohen.
RowenKohenJensenBensonCohenKaysenBodhiRonan
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Bowen | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,292 | #266 |
| 2024 | 1,077 | #321 |
| 2023 | 941 | #348 |
| 2022 | 820 | #389 |
| 2021 | 889 | #368 |
| 2020 | 778 | #395 |
| 2019 | 709 | #433 |
| 2018 | 709 | #429 |
| 2017 | 660 | #459 |
| 2016 | 638 | #481 |
| 2015 | 557 | #516 |
| 2014 | 492 | #563 |
| 2013 | 430 | #590 |
| 2012 | 391 | #620 |
| 2011 | 315 | #722 |
| 2010 | 165 | #1127 |
| 2009 | 128 | #1347 |
| 2008 | 129 | #1334 |
| 2007 | 174 | #1070 |
| 2006 | 138 | #1214 |
| 2005 | 144 | #1132 |
| 2004 | 120 | #1251 |
| 2003 | 129 | #1159 |
| 2002 | 100 | #1326 |
| 2001 | 105 | #1265 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Bowen?
In official American birth records, the name Bowen first appeared in 1913 (over 112 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 112 years.
Is Bowen a popular boy name?
Bowen ranked #266 among boys in 2025 with 1,292 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #516.
When was the name Bowen most popular?
Bowen peaked in 2025, when 1,292 American boys received the name (ranked #266 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Bowen?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,393 newborn American boys was named Bowen. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.