Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

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.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
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.