Who appears as the child on the cover of U2’s album Boy?

Peter Rowen appears as the child on the cover of U2’s album Boy.

The cover photograph was taken by Hugo McGuiness, with design by Steve Averill and Shaughn McGrath. Peter Rowen was the younger brother of Guggi, an Irish musician and artist who was a friend of Bono. Rowen also appeared on the covers of several later U2 releases from the band’s early period.

The image fits Boy’s focus on childhood, adolescence, vulnerability, and the passage into adulthood. The photograph is often remembered as a defining part of U2’s early visual identity.

A common mistake is identifying Guggi as the child because he was connected to the band and to the cover’s subject. Another mix-up is with Anton Corbijn, who became closely associated with U2 photography later but did not take the Boy cover photograph.