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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Rowan - is it unisex and does it matter?

27 replies

Kezmond · 16/03/2011 20:37

Hi there, your help needed please!

We are having our first child and it's a boy. I wanted to call him William after my dad but my other half is keen to call him something a little more unusual. We've found it really hard to agree on a name, and after getting close with Zachary, Joseph and Harvey we've settled on Rowan - my partner thinks it's a lovely gentle sounding name, we liked the natural connection to the tree and also the irish heritage (our families are irish).

So his full name would be: Rowan William Sutcliffe

A few of my friends have intimated that it's now more trendy as a girls name - does this matter?

Any views welcome! I am due next week so the clock is ticking ha ha!

Kx

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Onion1968 · 16/03/2011 20:40

I know a lad called Rowan and he is the loveliest, most well mannered young man. He is also gorgeous.....!! He's the son of one of our suppliers at work.
Maybe I am not being objective :o !!
If I heard the name I would associate it with a boy.

ebbandflow · 16/03/2011 20:41

Tbh I really thought it was a girls name, best wishes for next week!

meditrina · 16/03/2011 20:42

I think it's unisex. I know 2 female Rowans in RL, so think of it as a girl's name. But Atkinson and Williamson are both male.

UndiscoveredApprentice · 16/03/2011 20:42

can be unisex but i prefer it - and love it - for a boy

PepsiPopcorn · 16/03/2011 20:43

Yes, it's a unisex name. I think of it as slightly more of a boys' name though.

Rowan William... too similar to Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury.

tigana · 16/03/2011 20:44

I know a male rowan..think he spells it Roan, but that is probbaly just a affectation, because, to me roan is pronounced to rhyme with grown and is used to describe a horse or soemting ?!

anyhow
to me rowan is male

redrobin · 16/03/2011 20:45

i think its more a boy's name, i love it and you should go for it (altho my daughter is called robin so i like the unisex thang)

Takver · 16/03/2011 20:49

I would say unisex - I know girl and boy Rowans. Its a beautiful name, and I don't think that it matters at all (I also love Robin :) )

purplefeet · 16/03/2011 21:05

My mother has sent an xmas card my entire life to a family :

Pat, Dave and Rowan.

Up until about 2 years ago I thought Rowan was a boy - no it's a girl!

Have met in person one male Rowan.

Really like it for a boy.

piratecat · 16/03/2011 21:08

i know it as my good friends daughter's name, it's a tree isn't it.

MirandaGoshawk · 16/03/2011 21:10

What Takver said - I love it for both boys and girls, and also Robin (ditto).

There was a children's book about a girl who ran away from home, her name was Rowan & I've loved the name since then. I read it when I was about 10 & can't remember the name of the book. Sad

peeriebear · 16/03/2011 21:10

I love it for either and would wholeheartedly consider it for either. The Rowan is my favourite tree :) I also like Rohan but that's straying into Tolkien.

DilysPrice · 16/03/2011 21:13

Unisex, so might get a bit of flack at school (esp if there happens to be a famous female Rowan at the time) but lovely, I'd go for it.

Original poster
Kezmond · 16/03/2011 21:15

Thanks everyone I am overwhelmed with all the good advice given in such a short time! I can go into labour happy now :-)
Kx

OP posts:
Calyx · 16/03/2011 21:20

It's a lovely name and I liked the original list too! Wanted to add my good vibes for you for next week :)

MrsH75 · 16/03/2011 21:24

How about Rohan? I'd only ever associate that spelling with a boy.

mopsyflopsy · 16/03/2011 21:29

Lovely boys name.

BelligerentGhoul · 16/03/2011 21:31

I love it as a boys' name (dd2 would have been it, had she been ds) and dislike it as a girls' name.

Rowan William Sutcliffe sounds fab to me. :)

Original poster
Kezmond · 16/03/2011 21:48

Not so keen on Rohan; Robin is lovely; think I will stick with Rowan though! It was so hard getting there in the first place that I don't want to change it unless there's a really good reason to. I don't think the archbishops name is an issue... He will hardly ever say his middle name after all!

OP posts:
preghead · 16/03/2011 21:54

I love rowan for a boy and would have used it for one of mine if their surname didn't begin with R ( and I didnt have a slight lisp ... )

Agree unisex but I associate with boy more. Lovely name, and only one of your original choice that is "a little more unusual" imo. Go for it!

pinkgirlythoughts · 17/03/2011 07:45

My partner would have been Rowen (this spelling) had he been a girl, and actually the only real life Rowen I know is his sister, but then there's also Rowan Atkinson and Rowan Williams making it well known as a boys' name, so I think it could really go either way.

BuntyPenfold · 17/03/2011 08:42

I have a Rowan and we know of 4 others aged from 10 to 45. They are all girls.
Three of them are called Rowan Elizabeth.

purcellfan · 17/03/2011 16:27

Ds is a Rowan, also know two girl Rowans. I think it's fairly unisex.

rubybambini · 17/03/2011 16:48

Yes, and no =)

smashingtime · 17/03/2011 20:44

I think of it as a boys name and really like it - go for it and good luck!