This post contains affiliate links.
At a Glance
- Meaning
- Rough or overgrown clearing
- Origin
- Old English (place name)
- Gender
- Neutral
- Pronunciation
- ROH-lee
Rowley is a neutral name that started out as an Old English place name, and it carries the kind of earthy, wandering, free-spirited, boho, outdoorsy, nature-inspired character. You may have seen it described as meaning 'meadow by the river,' but that's not accurate — the Old English elements it comes from (ruh and leah) actually point to a rough or overgrown clearing, not a riverside meadow. It's said ROH-lee (IPA /ˈroʊli/).
Meaning & Origin of Rowley
Meaning: Rough or overgrown clearing.
Origin: Old English (place name).
A common claim: Rowley is often said to mean 'meadow by the river' Actually: Rowley doesn't mean 'meadow by the river' — its Old English roots (ruh + leah) point to 'rough or overgrown clearing' instead.
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Rowley
ROH-leeIPA /ˈroʊli/
Popularity of Rowley
Rowley does not appear in U.S. Social Security birth-name records (38,443 names on file, 1880–present) — likely too rare, too new, or recorded under a different spelling. No popularity rank or trend is shown rather than an invented one.
Names Like Rowley
These names share Rowley’s style, era or origin.
FAQ
What does the name Rowley mean?
Rough or overgrown clearing. (Source: Wiktionary)
How do you pronounce Rowley?
Rowley is pronounced ROH-lee (IPA: /ˈroʊli/).
Make Rowley Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Rowley, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
📊 How popular is Rowley? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
🎲 Think you know your baby names? Take the quiz!
📱 The Baby Names app is here
Swipe names, match with your partner the moment you both say yes, and claim a free Name Art print of your winner. Free to download. See all our apps →
