# rowan

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɹəʊ.ən/ · frequency rank #19,194

## Definitions
1. Sorbus aucuparia, the European rowan.
2. Any of various small deciduous trees or shrubs of genus Sorbus, belonging to the rose family, with pinnate leaves, corymbs of white flowers, and usually with orange-red berries.
3. wych-elm, Ulmus glabra.

## Etymology
Originally Scots and northern English, from Middle English ron, rone, compare also Northern English raan, ran. At first referring to its fruits, of North Germanic origin, from Old Norse reynir.
Also related to Norwegian Bokmål rogn, Danish røn. Ultimately related to the root of red.

## Easily confused with
- **Ryan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rowan-vs-ryan)
- **rows** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rowan-vs-rows)
- **Rowe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rowan-vs-rowe)
- **royal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rowan-vs-royal)
- **rowdy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rowan-vs-rowdy)
- **rower** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rowan-vs-rower)
- **rowed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rowan-vs-rowed)
- **Roxas** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rowan-vs-roxas)
- **rowing** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rowan-vs-rowing)
- **Rowena** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rowan-vs-rowena)
- **Rowland** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rowan-vs-rowland)
- **ran** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ran-vs-rowan)
- **row** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/row-vs-rowan)
- **Ron** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ron-vs-rowan)
- **Roa** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/roa-vs-rowan)
- **road** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/road-vs-rowan)
- **Rosa** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rosa-vs-rowan)
- **Roma** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/roma-vs-rowan)
- **roar** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/roar-vs-rowan)
- **roam** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/roam-vs-rowan)

## Common misspellings (7)
`orwan`, `roawn`, `rowann`, `rowna`, `rowwan`, `rrowan`, `rwoan`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/rowan