Owain

Owain (Welsh pronunciation: [ˈoːwain]) is a name of Welsh origin, apparently corresponding (along with Iwan) to Irish "Eoghan".[1][2] There is more than one proposed etymology for this name. Several etymologists consider it to be cognate with Eugene meaning noble-born.[1][2] However, the encyclopedia Irish Names disputes the connection with Eugene and derives the name from Old Irish Eógan, meaning "born of the yew".[3][1] An alternative but less likely origin of the name is Proto-Celtic "Esugenos", meaning "engendered of Esos".[1]

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.[4] 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.[1] Patronymics include "Bowen" (from "[a]b Owain")[5] and Owens.[1][2] 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'".[1]

People

People with the name Owain include:

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Morgan, T.J. and Morgan, Prys, Welsh Surnames, University of Wales, 1985, Owain (Owen, Bowen, Ednowain). According to T.J. Morgan in Welsh Surnames (pp. 172/173) the name is a derivation of the Latin "Eugenis" > [Old Welsh] Ou(u)ein, Eug(u)ein … "variously written in [Middle Welsh] as Ewein, Owein, Ywein. LL gives the names Euguen, Iguein, Yuein, Ouein. The corresponding form in Irish is Eoghan." Morgan notes that there are less likely alternative explanations and agrees with Dr. Rachel Bromwich that Welsh "Owein" "is normally Latinized as Eugenius", and both the Welsh and Irish forms are Latin derivatives. Additionally, another latinized variations of the name Owain is "Audoenus" in certain parish registers
  2. 1 2 3 Surnames of the United Kingdom, reprinted for Clearfield Company, INC by Genealogical Publishing Co. INC, Baltimore 1995, 1996. Surnames of the United Kingdom notes that the most likely and widely accepted origin of Owain (along with Irish Gaelic Eoghan, and Scottish Gaelic Eoghann) is Latin Eugenius. Cormic gives this origin for Eogan (one MS, Eogen); and Zimmer considers Owen to be borrowed from Latin "Eugens", as noted by MacBain, p. 400. The mediaeval Latinization of Owen as "Oenus" led to a belief that the etymology was the Welsh and Breton "oen" (lamb). With much stronger reason it was at one time considered that the name represented Irish "eoghunn" = Gael. Ogan- [f. Old Irish oc- Welsh og, young], "youth".
  3. ↑ Ó Corráin, Donnchadh agus Maguire, Fidelma. Irish Names (1981, 1990). 87-88.
  4. ↑ "Common Welsh Boys Names". Retrieved 1 June 2012.
  5. ↑ In the Welsh language, "ap" (derived from old Welsh "map") means "son of".
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