| Connor | Rowan | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | lover of hounds/wolves (disputed) | Little red one; rowan tree |
| Origin | irish | Irish |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | KON-er | ROH-un |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1913 | 1916 |
| Peak year | 2004 (10,049) | 2025 (5,212) |
| In 2025 | 2,211 | 5,212 |
| Trend | Declining | Near its peak |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Connor | Rowan |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 19,074 | 24,763 |
| 2010s | 68,270 | 19,019 |
| 2000s | 85,985 | 5,491 |
| 1990s | 57,391 | 709 |
| 1980s | 3,319 | 182 |
| 1970s | 233 | 78 |
| 1960s | 84 | 71 |
| 1950s | 39 | 77 |
| 1940s | 50 | 76 |
| 1930s | 23 | 72 |
| 1920s | 47 | 72 |
| 1910s | 31 | 18 |
From the Old Irish Conchobar, usually read as 'con' ('hound', sometimes extended to 'wolf') plus 'cobar' ('desiring'), hence 'lover of hounds' or 'wolf-lover'. The wolf sense is secondary to 'hound' and the early elements are debated, so the wolf connection is DISPUTED and flagged.
Rowan has two roots that meet in the name: the Irish Ruadhán, “little red one,” and the English name of the rowan tree with its red berries.
Rowan is more popular than Connor today: about 5,212 US babies were given the name Rowan in 2025, compared with 2,211 named Connor.
Connor means lover of hounds/wolves (disputed) (irish origin), while Rowan means Little red one; rowan tree (Irish origin).
In US records, Connor first appears in 1913 and Rowan in 1916, so Connor has the longer recorded history.