Roan? Roan cannot be a real name.. can it? :s

[PamShoo]

Hello - first post here, I feel nervous haha!

Pregnant with first DC - had a dream (I know) about a red headed boy with the name Roan?!
Mentioned it to DH this morning - not as a suggestion, more along the lines of 'weird dream' conversation - he is considering it as a name.. says it sounds like a nice name to use.. I on the other hand cannot possibly believe it is an actual name?!

Is it? I can't use it for DC, can I..?
I think I know the answer to this next question but-- what would you think if you heard a child with this name?

[bakingtins]

Rowan? It can be used for either sex, but I only personally know a girl called this.
Roan is a colour for horses, sorry.

[PamBagnallsGotACollage]

Like Rowan as in Rowan Atkinson or R-ow-n?

[SirChenjin]

Roan is a coat colour for animals. I know a Rohan - not sure if that's any better?

[FreeSpiritsBadAttitude]

Roan is a northern European variant of Rowan. I quite like it.

[IntheYear2525]

Roan is a colour, I've only ever heard it used for horses and it's a mix of white and coloured (usually chestnut) hairs and it makes the horse look pink-ish. It would be appropriate for a red-headed boy and I think it sounds quite nice. He might be mistaken for Rowan or Ronan quite a bit though.

[RustyBear]

I know a 12 year old boy called Roan, pronounced Row-un (Row as in your boat, not as in argument)

[mineymo]

I know a male Rohan and a female Rowan, both pronounced Row - an. Roan as I know it is pronounced to rhyme with bone and is a reddish colour, think Irish setters or red horses. It could be a welsh/irish variation of Rowan though I suppose. Get thee to nameberry.

[Bowlersarm]

Not sure if it's a proper name, but I like it!

[Wenchelda]

Not heard of Roan but I LOVE Rowan, for a boy or girl.

[UnrelatedToElephants]

Rohan for a boy, Rowan for a girl (in my experience). If you didn't see it written down in your dream, could he have been a little Rohan?

[KittyandTeal]

I taught a red haired Roan (pronounced ro-an) a few years ago. How weird. He was lovely but had a very tough life.

[eagle2010]

Roan is a Celtic name - think the original name is Rowan and it means "red headed".

Roan is also the Irish Gaelic word for "seal" if that means anything!

[atticusclaw]

Honestly? I'd think you can't spell Rowan.

[WanderingTrolley1]

I've heard of Rohan.

[dinkystinky]

Rowan and Rohan are really names (celtic and hindu respectively)

[Chennai]

I know three boy Rowans. Never met a girl one.

[snice]

(waits for RowanMumsnet to appear)

[Laquila]

I'd think you'd used a variant of Rowan and would probably think it more likely to be used for a boy, spelt that way. I really like it, however you spell it!

All names were man-made, at some point or another ;)

[nomdemere]

I think your dream is telling you that you are having a little red-head! I am usually very anti made-up names, but I rather like this one :)

[thekitchenfairy]

Rowan is a Celtic name and in Cornwall often spelt Roan or the variant Ruan.

I love it-- so much that Ds2 has it (he is Rowan) and never had negative response to his name.

If you like it....go for it!!

[bauhausfan]

I think it's lovely. Your dream sounds cool. Any chance of the baby being a red-head?

[GlaceDragonflies]

All of the Rowans that I know are male. I know a Rohan, his name was chosen because it's Irish - I've no idea if it is, that is what his mother told me.
Roan reminds me of a strawberry roan horse.

[GlaceDragonflies]

Oh, and Rowan - the ones I know pronounce it Row-en and Row-an.

[TotleighTowers]

I think it's a lovely name but would probably spell it Rowan or Rohan.

Rowan feels more feminine than masculine to me but I think that is just because the few Rowans I've met have all been women.

Apparently Rohan can also be a Scottish version of Rowan, as well as a Hindu/Sanskrit name.

[squoosh]

Yes Roan (or rón) means seal in Irish. There's a film I'm sure called the Secret of Roan Inish, about an island of seals.