Cowen (/kaʊɪn/) is an originally Irish surname. Notable people with the surname include:
Bernard Cowen (1932-1984), Irish politician and father of Brian Cowen
Brian Cowen (born 1960), Irish Taoiseach, former Minister for Finance and Leader of the Fianna Fáil party
Elise Cowen (born 1933), American Beat poet
Frederic Hymen Cowen (1852–1935), British pianist, conductor, and composer
Joseph Cowen (1829–1900), English politician and journalist
Lillie Cowen (born 1851), Jewish-Irish writer and Hebrew translator
Robert Cowen (born 1930), Judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
Scott Cowen, president of Tulane University
Tyler Cowen (born 1962), American economist
Zelman Cowen (1919-2011), former Governor-General of Australia
Mitchell Cowen (1986- ), aspiring politician
