I have been wondering why he is called Cowl.
Could it be that he really chooses his moniker based on his hood?
Or perhaps it is a phonetic trick? Jim writes Cowl, but other characters are saying Cowell, or Cowel? Like the Welsh name.
But maybe it is because of his birth. Some babies are born with a caul or cowl. A caul is a sort of skin sac that covers part or sometimes the whole of the head and face of a baby. It's pretty rare (less than 1 in 80,000) normally removed rather easily, but in the past it was considered a sign of good luck and an omen that the child was destined for greatness. In some cases the caul itself was used to defend against witches and sorcerers. However in Romania it was considered that those born with a caul would become Strigoi (Vampires) upon death.
In any case, what do you think is the origin of his name?