Owain () is a name of Welsh origin, variously written in

Old Welsh Old Welsh ( cy, Hen Gymraeg) is the stage of the Welsh language from about 800 AD until the early 12th century when it developed into Middle Welsh.Koch, p. 1757. The preceding period, from the time Welsh became distinct from Common Brittonic a ...

as Ougein, Eugein, Euguen, Iguein, Ou(u)ein, Eug(u)ein, Yuein, and in

Middle Welsh Middle Welsh ( cy, Cymraeg Canol, wlm, Kymraec) is the label attached to the Welsh language of the 12th to 15th centuries, of which much more remains than for any earlier period. This form of Welsh developed directly from Old Welsh ( cy, Hen G ...

as Ewein, Owein, and Ywein. Other variants of the name Owain include Ewein, Iguein, Owein, Ouein, Ywen, Ywein,

Ywain Sir Ywain , also known as Yvain and Owain among other spellings (''Ewaine'', ''Ivain'', ''Ivan'', ''Iwain'', ''Iwein'', ''Uwain'', ''Uwaine'', etc.), is a Knight of the Round Table in Arthurian legend, wherein he is often the son of King Urien ...

, Yuein, and Yvain. Owain has also been Latinized as ''Oenus''.

Etymology

Osborn Bergin proposed that the name is cognate with

Old Irish Old Irish, also called Old Gaelic ( sga, Goídelc, Ogham script: ᚌᚑᚔᚇᚓᚂᚉ; ga, Sean-Ghaeilge; gd, Seann-Ghàidhlig; gv, Shenn Yernish or ), is the oldest form of the Goidelic/Gaelic language for which there are extensive writt ...

''Ugaine'', ''Augaine'', and suggested that the Irish name could be a British loan. Linguist

Kenneth H. Jackson Prof Kenneth Hurlstone Jackson CBE FRSE FSA DLitt (1 November 1909 – 20 February 1991) was an English linguist and a translator who specialised in the Celtic languages. He demonstrated how the text of the Ulster Cycle of tales, written ''circ ...

proposed that the name is a derivation of the Latin ''Eugenius'', (which was more recently accepted by T.J. Morgan).

Julius Pokorny Julius Pokorny (12 June 1887 – 8 April 1970) was an Austrian-Czech linguist and scholar of the Celtic languages, particularly Irish, and a supporter of Irish nationalism. He held academic posts in Austrian and German universities. Early life a ...

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.

Popularity

Owain is one of the few Welsh names to be consistently popular over the last 100 years in

England and Wales England and Wales () is one of the three legal jurisdictions of the United Kingdom. It covers the constituent countries England and Wales and was formed by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542. The substantive law of the jurisdiction is Engl ...

, particularly with the spelling Owen (and pronunciation //).

Patronymic A patronymic, or patronym, is a component of a personal name based on the given name of one's father, grandfather (avonymic), or an earlier male ancestor. Patronymics are still in use, including mandatory use, in many countries worldwide, al ...

s include ''Bowen'' (from '' Owain'')In the Welsh language, ''ap'' (derived from Old Welsh ''map'') means " son of". and ''Owens''.

People

Pre-modern era

:''Ordered chronologically.'' * Owain Danwyn (, Prince of North Wales, proposed as possible candidate for the "real" King Arthur *

Owain mab Urien Owain mab Urien (Middle Welsh Owein) (died c. 595) was the son of Urien, king of Rheged c. 590, and fought with his father against the Angles of Bernicia. The historical figure of Owain became incorporated into the Arthurian cycle of legends wh ...

(died c. 595), son of Urien, King of Rheged. He is remembered as Sir Ywain in Arthurian legend. *

Owain ap Hywel (Glywysing) Owain ap Hywel (died Ford, David. ''Early British Kingdoms'':. Accessed 20 Feb 2013.) was a king of Glywysing and Gwent in southeastern Wales. Owain's father Hywel was king of Glywysing until his death around AD 886. Although the unified kingdom ...

(died c. 930), King of Glywysing and Gwent *

Owain ap Dyfnwal (fl. 934) Owain ap Dyfnwal ( fl. 934) was an early tenth-century King of Strathclyde. He was probably a son of Dyfnwal, King of Strathclyde, who may have been related to previous rulers of the Kingdom of Strathclyde. Originally centred in the valley of t ...

, King of the Cumbrians *

Owain ap Hywel Dda __NOTOC__ Owain ap Hywel (died ) was king of Deheubarth in south Wales and probably also controlled Powys. Owain was one of the three sons of King Hywel the Good. Upon Hywel's death in 948, Owain, Rhodri, and Edwin divided his lands among the ...

(died c. 988), King of Deheubarth in south Wales and probably also controlled Powys *

Owain ap Dyfnwal (died 1015) Owain ap Dyfnwal (died 1015) may have been an eleventh-century ruler of the Kingdom of Strathclyde. He seems to have been a son of Dyfnwal ab Owain, King of Strathclyde, and may well have succeeded Dyfnwal's son, Máel Coluim, King of Strathcly ...

, King of the Cumbrians *

Owain Foel 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, Y ...

(), King of the Cumbrians *

Owain Gwynedd Owain ap Gruffudd ( 23 or 28 November 1170) was King of Gwynedd, North Wales, from 1137 until his death in 1170, succeeding his father Gruffudd ap Cynan. He was called Owain the Great ( cy, Owain Fawr) and the first to be ...

(c. 1100–1170), aka Owain ap Gruffydd, King of Gwynedd *

Owain Fychan Owain Fychan ap Madog (alternatively ''Owain Vychan ap Madoc'') (c. 1125 – 1187) was styled Lord of Mechain Is Coed and one of the sons of Madog ap Maredudd. His mother was Susanna, daughter of Gruffudd ap Cynan. Division of the Kingdom of ...

(c. 1125–1187), ruler of part of Powys *

Owain Cyfeiliog Owain ap Gruffydd (c. 1130–1197) was a prince of the southern part of Powys and a poet. He is usually known as Owain Cyfeiliog to distinguish him from other rulers named Owain, particularly his contemporary, Owain ap Gruffydd of Gwynedd, who is k ...

(c. 1130–1197), prince of part of Powys and poet *

Owain Goch ap Gruffydd Owain ap Gruffudd (also known as ''Owain Goch'' wain the Red (died 1282) was brother to Llywelyn ap Gruffudd and Dafydd ap Gruffudd and, for a brief period in the late 1240s and early 1250s, ruler of part of the Kingdom of Gwynedd (in modern-day n ...

(in English, "Owain the Red") (died c. 1280), ruler of part of the Kingdom of Gwynedd *

Owen de la Pole Owen de la Pole (c. 1257 – c. 1293), also known as Owain ap Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn, was the heir presumptive to the Welsh principality of Powys Wenwynwyn until 1283 when it was abolished by the Parliament of Shrewsbury. He became the 1st Lord ...

, also known as Owain ap Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn (c. 1257–c. 1293), lord of Powys *

Owain ap Dafydd Owain ap Dafydd ( – ), potential claimant to the title Prince of Gwynedd, was the younger son of Dafydd ap Gruffydd, the last free ruler of Gwynedd and the self-proclaimed Prince of Wales. Nothing is known of his early life, though it is th ...

(c. 1275–c. 1325), potential claimant to the title Prince of Gwynedd *

Owain Lawgoch Owain Lawgoch ( en, Owain of the Red Hand, french: Yvain de Galles), full name Owain ap Thomas ap Rhodri (July 1378), was a Welsh soldier who served in Lombardy, France, Alsace, and Switzerland. He led a Free Company fighting for the French ag ...

(in English "Owain of the Red Hand", also known as Owain ap Thomas ap Rhodri) (c. 1330–1378), a claimant to the throne of Wales *

Owain Glyndŵr Owain ap Gruffydd (), commonly known as Owain Glyndŵr or Glyn Dŵr (, anglicised as Owen Glendower), was a Welsh leader, soldier and military commander who led a 15 year long Welsh War of Independence with the aim of ending English rule in W ...

, sometimes anglicised as Owen Glendower (1359–c. 1416), last Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales *

Owen Tudor Sir Owen Tudor (, 2 February 1461) was a Welsh courtier and the second husband of Queen Catherine of Valois (1401–1437), widow of King Henry V of England. He was the grandfather of Henry VII, founder of the Tudor dynasty. Background Owe ...

(in Welsh, Owain ap Maredudd ap Tudur) (c. 1400–1461), Welsh courtier, the second husband of Catherine of Valois (1401–1437), widow of King Henry V of England, and grandfather of King Henry VII of England

Modern era

:''Ordered alphabetically.'' *

Owain Arthur Owain Arthur (born 5 March 1983) is a Welsh actor, who rose to fame playing ''Francis Henshall'' in The National Theatre's production of ''One Man, Two Guvnors'' at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. His early years were spent in Bangor, Wales, fil ...

(born 1983), Welsh actor *

Owain Wyn Evans Owain Wyn Evans (born 9 March 1984) is a Welsh broadcaster and drummer. He is a radio DJ and TV presenter, and previously a weather presenter on ''North West Tonight'' and ''BBC Breakfast''. Evans is also a regular item presenter for the telev ...

(born 1984), Welsh journalist, broadcaster and television presenter *

Owain Hopkins Owain Charles Hopkins (born 18 December 1980) is a Welsh cricketer. Hopkins is a right-handed batsman who bowls right-arm off break. He was born at Bridgend, Glamorgan. Hopkins made his Minor Counties Championship debut for Wales Minor Coun ...

(born 1980), Welsh cricketer *

Owain Jones (disambiguation) Owain Jones may refer to: * Owain Jones (geographer) (born 1957), professor of environmental humanities * Owain Jones (footballer, born 1996), Welsh footballer * Owain Tudur Jones (born 1984), Welsh footballer * Owain Jones (priest) (born 1921) ...

Owain Owain Owain Owain (11 December 1929 – 19 December 1993) was a Welsh novelist, short-story writer and poet. He also founded '' Tafod y Ddraig'' (The Dragon's Tongue), which became the Welsh Language Society's main voice from its birth in the 1960 ...

(1929–1993), Welsh novelist, short-story writer and poet, one of the founders of the

Welsh Language Society The Welsh Language Society ( cy, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, often abbreviated to Cymdeithas yr Iaith or just Cymdeithas) is a direct action pressure group in Wales campaigning for the right of Welsh people to use the Welsh language in every as ...

* Owain Williams (disambiguation) *

Owain Yeoman Owain Sebastian Yeoman is a Welsh actor. His credits include '' The Nine'', '' Kitchen Confidential'', AMC's '' Turn'' (as Benedict Arnold) and the HBO series '' Generation Kill''. Additionally, he portrayed CBI Agent Wayne Rigsby in ''The Me ...

(born 1978), Welsh actor * Owain Gwyn Griffiths (born 1964), Welsh Actor

Fictional characters

* Owain, in the role-playing video game ''

Fire Emblem Awakening ''Fire Emblem Awakening'' is a tactical role-playing game developed by Intelligent Systems and Nintendo SPD and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS. It was released in April 2012 in Japan and 2013 internationally. It is the thirteenth in ...

References

{{given name Welsh masculine given names