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Original poster

How would you pronounce Rohan?

36 replies

Fishpond · 10/03/2012 04:38

Like Rowan or would you manifest the H?

And if you do pronounce the H, is it Ro-HAWN or Roe-HAN? I would assume when pronouncing the H you put the accent on the second syllable?

Eep. I like the look of the name and wonder what most people would initially view it to be pronounced as.

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deste · 15/03/2012 00:02

An Indian friend has a son Roe-Han and the h is not silent.

PrincessScrumpy · 13/03/2012 18:16

Rohan is pronounced with a silent h, just like Rowan.

CherryBlossom27 · 13/03/2012 09:32

I'd pronounce it as Roe-han, but if you want people to pronounce it as Row-han maybe change the spelling? I think its a nice boys name, different but not crazy different :-)

abbypumpkin · 13/03/2012 09:13

I would pronounce as Rowan but clearly there are two views. If you want it to be Rowan then I would spell it with a 'w' at least then everyone will pronounce it correctly. If you want it to be Roe-han then I think you might be correcting a few people along the way

Anonymumous · 12/03/2012 22:16

Ro-han - there's a boy in my son's class called this, and he's the only one I've ever come across, so I may be biased because of that.

If you wanted it to be pronounced Row-an, I'd just go with Rowan to avoid confusion.

nooka · 11/03/2012 17:30

If the family looks 'run of the mill English' I'd assume some slightly OTT like of Lord of the Rings and pronounce 'Ro-Han' with the 'a' like barn not like Han Solo). If I thought there was no Lord of the Rings connection I'd ask how to pronounce :)

FeedZombieEatSmartie · 11/03/2012 17:13

I thought it was pronounced like Rowan but softer. Like Roe-an rather than emphasis on the w IYSWIM

HandMadeTail · 11/03/2012 16:33

I know a boy with this name, with the "r" pronounced. The family are originally from the Indian sub continent (via Uganda, then Kenya, I believe). So I always assumed it was an Indian name. But it seems you can say it either way.

oikopolis · 11/03/2012 16:24

i find it weird that many people say "there's no W, why pronounce it Rowan??"... fact is, when you have two syllables RO and AN (soft H), it's inevitable that a W sound appears to connect the two. That's just how pronunciation works. Otherwise you'd mush the two middle syllables together and say Rone/Roan.

I know only one Rohan, who pronounces it Rowan (Roe-wun).
I think the hard "H" is less prevalent, but there will always be people who assume it's a hard h and will say Roe-hann.

BikeRunSki · 11/03/2012 16:07

I know several of each of all ages.

TidyDancer · 11/03/2012 16:02

I've known three Rohan's at DS's school and they are all Rowan in pronounciation.

Really don't like Roe-han, sounds clumsy. Rowan is much nicer and flows better.

RedFlagFlying · 11/03/2012 15:57

I know a Rohan and he says Roe-han.

fedupofnamechanging · 11/03/2012 13:55

I would pronounce it Roe an, so closer to Rowan than Ro Hann. What about Ruan (Roo an) - removes the confusion as to whether the h is silent or not. Unless you were preferring Ro Han, in which case, you could get away with it on account of the Tolkein pronunciation.

TheFallenMadonna · 11/03/2012 09:24

I've cone across both, so I'd ask.

Debeez · 11/03/2012 09:21

I read it as Roe-Han. However I am a massive lord of the rings fan and think this is an epic name. Sounds rather classic and at the same time masculine.

dementedma · 10/03/2012 21:48

got to be Roe- Han.
Rowan is Row(rhymes with now) an

choccyp1g · 10/03/2012 12:47

There's one on the Archers (little friend of Henry) and they pronounce it ROAN (it's a girl)

Obviously being a radio program I don't know how it is spelled.

[goes off to google arhers cast]

nizlopi · 10/03/2012 12:43

My friend whos son has that name pronounces it Ro-Han.

Isn't it from Lord of the Rings?

EvenBetter · 10/03/2012 11:29

I'd say Ro Han
Rowan is a different word.

Showmethemhappyfeet · 10/03/2012 10:48

I used to work with one, he was pronounced RoeHan

scottishmummy · 10/03/2012 10:23

not Rowan,as no w
I'd say roe Han
nice name

Celestia · 10/03/2012 10:14

I have a Rohan in my class this year and he pronounces it Roe-Han. His mother is Scandanavian.

HardCheese · 10/03/2012 10:06

The two Rohans I know (one a child, one an Australian thirty-something) both say 'Rowan'.

iklboo · 10/03/2012 09:15

DS's friend is Ro-han.

MrsHerculePoirot · 10/03/2012 09:03

All the Rohan's it have taught have pronounced it Rowan except one Asian boy who pronounced it Ro-Han.

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