Cowen (/kaʊɪn/) is an originally Irish surname. Notable people with the surname include:
Bernard Cowen (1932-1984), Irish politician and father of Brian CowenBrian Cowen (born 1960), Irish Taoiseach, former Minister for Finance and Leader of the Fianna Fáil partyElise Cowen (born 1933), American Beat poetFrederic Hymen Cowen (1852–1935), British pianist, conductor, and composerJoseph Cowen (1829–1900), English politician and journalistLillie Cowen (born 1851), Jewish-Irish writer and Hebrew translatorRobert Cowen (born 1930), Judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third CircuitScott Cowen, president of Tulane UniversityTyler Cowen (born 1962), American economistZelman Cowen (1919-2011), former Governor-General of AustraliaMitchell Cowen (1986- ), aspiring politician