What does the name rowan mean?

Answer 1

A tree (the rowan tree), also called such names as "quickbeam", "wicken" and "mountain ash" (although it is not a true ash, by species definition).

"Rowan" is a translation from the Gaelic "ruadhan", meaning "little red one", a reference to the red berries from this tree. The tree and its wood have a long-standing traditional use for magic, divination and protection from evil witches, the naughty fae (Unseelie) and ill-wishing from others. Often it is planted by the door of a cottage, or a branch is placed over a door to protect the occupants of the house or barn. Touching a bewitched person with a twig from the rowan tree breaks the enchantment. A portable protection charm is often a cross made of rowan twigs, bound by red thread. "Rowan and red thraid/puts the bogles to their speed" is a variant of an old Scots saying.