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Original poster

Pronunciation advice for Rowan - also girl's name short list

31 replies

1morecupofcoffee · 17/03/2015 19:25

Hi

I'm 39 weeks pg tomorrow so getting a bit worried that we haven't settled on a name for DD2 yet! Our first daughter is called Jessie. The current shortlist (still changing regularly) is:

Rosa
Rowan
Maia
Skye
Clio

We will probably go for Therese for a middle name, and the surname is Fau..... (same as US author William).

Any views on the shortlist (or alternative suggestions) would be very welcome - also, could I take a poll on how you pronounce Rowan:

  1. First syllable to rhyme with how/cow, or
  2. First syllable to rhyme with low/mow?

I'm from Scotland originally and I'm pretty sure it is usually how/cow there, but where I now live (NZ) low/mow seems to be the way. One more thing - do you see Rowan as more of a girl's name, boy's name, or completely unisex?

Cheers! Smile

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D0nnaO · 18/03/2015 21:08

We're having a boy due in 6wks & calling him Rowan (low/row) Smile

Original poster
1morecupofcoffee · 18/03/2015 06:29

Thanks very much everyone for your comments! Ok so the short list I'm going to take back to DP is:
-Rosa Therese
-Rowan 'Something Else' - I think I prefer the 'rhymes with how/now/cow' version of Rowan
-Meg/Maggie 'Something Else'

Meg is a family name for me (as Therese is for DP), so will think about Rowan Margaret for MN. Any other suggestions for a MN to go with Rowan?

OP posts:
Clarinet9 · 17/03/2015 23:06

Interesting Maryz
this child is neither it is just the accent of his parents (I can't remember ever hearing him say his own name)

unlucky83 · 17/03/2015 22:47

I know 3 Rowans in Scotland ...two female & one maler. And they are pronounced differently ...I think as above - girl rhymes with now, boy row.
Met the females first - took me at least a year to pronounce it 'correctly' (default was Rowan Atkinson) -then met the male. I now always struggle, get confused and often get it wrong ....Blush
(luckily the male at least doesn't mind)
I think a bit like spelling 'separate' ...I always got it right until someone pointed out people often got it wrong (seperate)....now when it comes into my head (usually right) I stop myself and think is that right and then get confused ....(similar with using effected and affected....)
This thread has helped me though - if the female version rhymes with cow....one of the female Rowans I know isn't very nice Smile Wink

Justamummy1983 · 17/03/2015 22:45

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BikeRunSki · 17/03/2015 22:44

Rowan is my favourite of your names.
I consider it an m and f name, boat pronounciation for both.

imsorryiasked · 17/03/2015 22:44

Another one for mow/low pronunciation - I've always thought it was Rowan for a boy and Rowena (Ro ee nah) for a girl.

Maryz · 17/03/2015 22:44

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Maryz · 17/03/2015 22:42

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Clarinet9 · 17/03/2015 22:42

I also know Rohan who I thought was Rowan for ages because of his parents pronunciation.

Clarinet9 · 17/03/2015 22:41

as in boat

I like it more for girls I think

i know it as both but probably know more boys with it!
I know more Maias than I do Ellas (but not as many Sophie/Sophias)

Marcipex · 17/03/2015 22:37

Rowan as in row a boat, and it's a girls name.

Noggie · 17/03/2015 22:34

Girl Rowan as in having a 'row' (argument). Boy Rowan as 'roan' as in row boat- that's my experience as a teacher of boys and girls.

TempsPerdu · 17/03/2015 22:31

What a fab list! Love Rowan, Rosa and Clio (I prefer the Muse spelling too) Skye and Maia are both nice too, but for me they're not quite up there with the others.

All the Rowans I've met (both genders) have used the low/mow pronunciation (I'm in London). It's one of my favourite names for a girl, but I definitely wouldn't pair it with Therese!

BigGlasses · 17/03/2015 22:22

The Rowans that I know in real life are both female and pronounced the cow/now way. It does seem that the male version is more roe/toe pronouciation like Rowan Williams.

I think it's a lovely name but possibly not with Therese.

anothernumberone · 17/03/2015 21:28

That is interesting I only ever heard of the row the boat version. I have a friend called Rua Roo a which is Gaelic for red and must be the origin of the roo an version. They are both lovely.

Tapwater · 17/03/2015 21:24

Rowan as in 'row the boat ashore' for both sexes in my experience. I've met more male Rowans in my life, but think it has a significant history of being a girl's name too. At the boyish end of the spectrum, but hardly in the league of calling your daughter Michael.

Original poster
1morecupofcoffee · 17/03/2015 21:21

Yes, Meg is lovely thanks SomeSunny, will suggest to DP. I think I would prefer a name with a two syllable NN possibility though - I suppose you could have Meg with NN Maggie, I also really like Maggie.

OP posts:
SomeSunnySunday · 17/03/2015 20:59

Sounds male, sorry

SomeSunnySunday · 17/03/2015 20:58

Rowan as in "row the boat" sounds make to me; Rowan as in "cow" / the tree is more unisex although in reality I have only met females.

I like Rosa from your list. Have you considered Meg? I think it goes beautifully with Jessie.

FlabbyMummy · 17/03/2015 20:50

I would think of Rowan as a boys name.

Original poster
1morecupofcoffee · 17/03/2015 20:45

Thanks everyone - interesting about one pronunciation for the girl's version, and the other for the boy's, I had wondered about that.

I hadn't thought of the Rowan Trees possibility! But as Atnelpoe said, Therese doesn't sound like trees when pronounced correctly. There could easily be confusion with Teresa though.

For Clio I prefer the 'i' spelling, as in muse of history rather than car, Renaults are not common over here (the cars are mostly Japanese) so people probably wouldn't make the connection, but if we ever moved back to Europe I agree it might seem a bit of an odd name. I'm not really too keen on that one anymore anyway (either spelling) - was thinking it might sound a bit pretentious.

Rowan, Rosa and Skye are my favourites at the moment (slightly concerned about Skye Fau... sounding a little bit like Guy Fawkes though), though DP is keener on Maia. Any views on which of these to go for would be much appreciated! I think Rowan or Rosa go best with Jessie.

OP posts:
florascotia · 17/03/2015 19:54

As others have said, the tree is definitely Rowan (to rhyme with cow) in Scotland. Ditto the girl's name.

Again in Scotland, the boy's name would originally have been something like Roo-awn or Row-awn (as in row the boat). Means Red-haired or Red (or son of either) as in Rob Roy.

Atnelpoe · 17/03/2015 19:51

I would pronounce it as in row your boat, and think it's a unisex name, but prefer it for a girl. Thérèse is a beautiful name - my DD is one, and when pronounced properly doesn't sound anything like "trees"...

museumum · 17/03/2015 19:47

Rowan like the tree (rhymes with cow) i think is a girl.
Rowan rhymes with toe I think is a boy like Rowan atkinson or Rowan Williams.
(I'm scottish).