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Baby names

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

Original poster

Eowyn (pronounced Ayo - win)

67 replies

Namingkidsishardwork · 16/10/2017 11:44

Hello!

A quick survey which will hopefully help me greatly!

When I briefly worked with a lovely teenager called Eowyn about 4 years ago (a beautiful, popular girl with the nickname Ayo), I fell in love with the name and immediately put it on my list for a future daughter.

With that in mind, here is my question for you lovely folk:

without Googling this name or asking someone (no cheating!), what is the immediate thought you would have if you met a female of any age today who introduced herself and said "Hi, I'm Eowyn" (pronounced Ayo - win)?

Thank you :)

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DryIce · 16/10/2017 13:40

I'd think Lord of the Rings

CoraPirbright · 16/10/2017 13:39

What Errol said!! I thnk its a lovely name. I like Arwen too. Galadriel might be a step too far!!

ErrolTheDragon · 16/10/2017 13:38

I'd think her LOTR-loving parents made by far the best choice of female name from the canon.

17caterpillars1mouse · 16/10/2017 13:37

I wouldn't have a clue how it was spelt but would think Welsh due to the win. I'm not really a fan of the sound but it looks pretty

Original poster
Namingkidsishardwork · 16/10/2017 13:37

Thanks all for sharing your thoughts so far! Very useful :) Wine Cake

OP posts:
GiveMeTheTeaAndNobodyGetsHurt · 16/10/2017 13:36

*Rings

GiveMeTheTeaAndNobodyGetsHurt · 16/10/2017 13:34

It was created by Tolkien for Lord of the Ring, and has no other cultural meaning, although it does sound slightly Welsh. It's actually quite a pretty name IMHO, but I would struggle to get past the fact that it was made up for a specific character in a book, and would make me think that the parents were huge fans of the book or films.

GinIsIn · 16/10/2017 13:34

Lord of the Rings here too.

Montacute · 16/10/2017 13:29

I'd think Wales or Lord of the Rings and would probably have pronounced it as Yo-win.

DryHeave · 16/10/2017 13:29

LOTR

EmmaGrundyForPM · 16/10/2017 13:28

LOTR.
I like the name. Not sure I'd use it though

MarmiteAndPB · 16/10/2017 13:28

Definitely Lord of the Rings. I would assume her parents were fans, as far as I am aware it's only a name from that. If I met her as an adult I would expect her to have read it/seen it and have an opinion. I'd probably ask about it, and she'd probably be sick of people immediately picking that as the first topic of conversation Grin

TonicAndTonic · 16/10/2017 13:27

I would just think her parents were fans of Lord of the Rings

Yep me too

Appuskidu · 16/10/2017 13:26

I would assume the parents were big Hobbit or D+D fans!

DarthMaiden · 16/10/2017 13:25

I’d assume her parents were Tolkien fans...

I love the name - I think it’s very pretty.

SmilingButClueless · 16/10/2017 13:24

I would just think her parents were fans of Lord of the Rings.

No other connection at all that I can think of.

RaininSummer · 16/10/2017 13:23

I wouldn't know how to pronounce it but that is my failing really as it is a nice name. Once told I would know though.

Trampire · 16/10/2017 13:19

I'm Welsh too and I've never heard it and yes, it seems a bit wrong.

Have considered Eirwen? (White Snow).

Liadain · 16/10/2017 13:16

It absolutely isn't Irish - no w or y used in the Irish alphabet.

Original poster
Namingkidsishardwork · 16/10/2017 13:14

Pidlan thanks for the insight! Languages are my absolute favourite topic. So it sounds like if you were to meet an Eowyn, you'd not only imagine a bloke, but also a pile of foam! Haha! Grin

OP posts:
Tumilnaughts · 16/10/2017 13:11

Lord of the rings. I love that name.

Pidlan · 16/10/2017 13:10

The -wyn suffix is male in Welsh (Elwyn, Carwyn, Derwyn) and -wen is female (Olwen, Bronwen, Carwen.) So to me (Welsh speaker), Eowyn is male. (Factoid: Ewyn is Welsh for foam!)

You do get Anglicised versions of Welsh names that sound completely wrong to Welsh ears- Bronwyn etc. The worst I've heard is Olwyn instead of Olwen. Olwyn is Welsh for wheel!

TittyGolightly · 16/10/2017 13:09

My immediate thought would be that she was Welsh.

I'm welsh. It's not a welsh name. Looks more Irish to me.

Original poster
Namingkidsishardwork · 16/10/2017 13:06

MrsHathaway Touché! Grin

OP posts:
MrsHathaway · 16/10/2017 13:02

It seems like your angle was more for a parent considering it as a potential name for their child.

In fairness, this is Baby Names and that's what the Topic is for Grin