Owen is a Gaelic and Welsh name which means "well-born", "yew born" or "youthful". His middle name, Aydan, means "little fire", and could refer both to his ability of pyrokinesis and the firelike light produced by his catalysm. The meaning of his middle name is shared by his cousin, Aidan Bennet. His surname, Petrelli, is Greek in origin and means "rock".