Samiksha Jaiswal (Editor)

Owain

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Owain ([ˈoːwain]) is a name of Welsh origin, apparently corresponding (along with Iwan) to Irish "Eoghan". There is more than one proposed etymology for this name. Several etymologists consider it to be cognate with Eugene meaning noble-born. However, the encyclopedia Irish Names disputes the connection with Eugene and derives the name from Old Irish Eógan, meaning 'born of the yew'. An alternative but less likely origin of the name is Proto-Celtic "Esugenos", meaning "engendered of Esos".

Owain is one of the few Welsh names to be consistently popular over the last 100 years in England and Wales, particularly with the spelling Owen. Other variants of the name Owain include Ewein, Iguein, Owein, Ouein, Ywen, Ywein, Ywain, Yuein, and Yvain. Owain has also been Latinized as "Oenus" and as "Audoenus", which itself evolved into another variant Audoen. Patronymics include "Bowen" (from "[a]b Owain") and Owens. The name Ednywain (along with variants Ednywein, Ednowain, and Ednywen) is associated with Owain, and "appears to be a name constructed by a reshuffle of the naming elements, i.e. taking 'Edn'- from 'Ednyfed' and putting it before 'Owain'".

People

People with the name Owain include:

  • Owain mab Urien (d. c. 595), son of Urien, king of Rheged c. 590, and fought with his father against the Angles of Bernicia. He is remembered as Sir Ywain in Arthurian legend
  • Owain Gwynedd (c. 1100–1170), aka "Owain ap Gruffydd", considered most successful of all the north Welsh princes prior to his grandson, Llywelyn the Great
  • Owain Cyfeiliog (c. 1130 - 1197), prince of part of Powys and a notable poet
  • Owain Goch ap Gruffydd (in English, "Owain the Red") (died c. 1280), brother of Llywelyn the Last of Gwynedd
  • Owain Owain, one of the founders of the Welsh Language Society; poet, writer, philosopher
  • Owain Lawgoch (in English "Owain of the Red Hand", also known as Owain ap Thomas ap Rhodri) (c. 1330 - 1378), great-nephew of Llywelyn the Last and claimant to the throne of Wales
  • Owain Glyndŵr, sometimes anglicised as Owen Glendower (1359–c. 1416), last Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales, and descendant of the princes of Powys
  • Owain Ddantgwyn, Prince of North Wales, proposed as possible candidate for the "real" King Arthur
  • Owain of Strathclyde (disambiguation), the name of several kings of Strathclyde
  • Owain Yeoman, Welsh actor, currently starring on Turn: Washington's Spies as the notorious American traitor Benedict Arnold
  • Owain, character from the tactical role-playing video game Fire Emblem: Awakening
  • References

    Owain Wikipedia