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Baby names

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Original poster

Rowan...anyone in Scotland

41 replies

Snowdrops31 · 23/02/2020 22:52

How would you pronounce Rowan in Scotland?

Row-an (as in ‘row’ your boat)

Or

Row-an (as in ‘row’, an argument )

Also would you think of it as a boys or girls name?

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CassandrasCastle · 26/02/2020 08:27

Scottish.

Argument, boys name

Huntlybyelection · 24/02/2020 22:25

Scottish, central belt.
Rowan is a boys name, row sounds like argument or cow.

I've only come across one girl called Rowan. I love the name for a boy though.

TheSandman · 24/02/2020 19:27

West Coast Argyll - 'Row' as in argument.

Elieza · 24/02/2020 19:24

Rowen as in argument - which is what I’m about to have with spellchecker that keeps trying to change it!
I’ve never heard of a boy called this name.
Scottish, central belt. Always called the trees by the name pronounced in the same way. Not as in row a boat.

Namelesswonder · 24/02/2020 18:47

I know a Rohan (girl) pronounced as row your boat - south Scotland

emmathedilemma · 24/02/2020 18:43

I only know a dog in Scotland called this and she is row as in argument!

literallychristraeger · 24/02/2020 16:54

Row as in a boat, from North East Scotland but with English parents so that has probably influenced me. My boy is Rowan and everyone starts saying row as in an argument but once they are corrected it's not an issue.

His dad is Irish and we've never had to correct it there when we visit.

MsJuniper · 24/02/2020 16:54

I know a female Scot who is Rowan (argument). She does have to correct people a fair bit as she lives in London but friends/colleagues have no trouble remembering.

Corneliawildthing · 24/02/2020 16:49

We have a Rowan (female) in our school and it's pronounce Row (to rhyme with cow) -an. In Scotand I've only ever heard it as a girl's name.

Ulysses · 24/02/2020 16:46

Girl in DD8s class is Row as in argument, neighbour's boy (12 I think) is the other way. I would think of it as nature name so pronounced as in rowan tree (also sweetie manufacturer!).

Whatsyourflava · 24/02/2020 16:45

I do get a bit muddled with all these RoWan/RoMan/RoHan/Roan’s about recently (I work with young children and it puts my head in a spin). Certainly having a trendy ‘moment’. Could date pretty quickly if that bothers you xx

PlantPotting · 24/02/2020 16:41

Not the nicest association to have; a name that starts with the word for argument!
Oh dear

robarc · 24/02/2020 16:12

Scottish also and would say like argument!

Clangus00 · 24/02/2020 13:59

Argument and girls.

BigGlasses · 24/02/2020 13:18

NE Scotland and I would pronouce it like the argument (ouch sound, or cow) . I know 3 girls, two about 40 and one about 8 years old. The only boys/men I know are Rowan Williams (archbishop) and Rowan Atkinson and they both use the row your boat pronouciation.
I love the name for a girl but it would put me off the pronouciation issues. Sad

BlackAndWhiteCat0 · 24/02/2020 10:40

Row as in argument here
And I only know girls with that name but that shouldn’t matter

PlantPotting · 24/02/2020 10:39

I’m in England so this might not be helpful but my baby daughter is called Rowan (with a W) but she continually gets called RoMan (with an M).
I hadn’t realised when I chose the name that Roman (with an M) is currently the fastest rising name 😩 theres 2 RoMans at our small local nursery 🤦🏼‍♀️
Two years ago this wouldn’t have been a problem but Roman is booming and jumped 800 places in the name charts to be top 50 and no doubt top 10 soon. X

lemonjam · 24/02/2020 03:06

Am in Scotland. I know an English boy row your boat, but only know Scottish girls/argument. Would pronounce the tree like argument too.

FartnissEverbeans · 24/02/2020 02:53

I’m Scottish (but not in Scotland). I’d pronounce it like an argument

anon2020202020 · 24/02/2020 00:34

Row as in argument, girls name. Central Scotland.

JKScot4 · 24/02/2020 00:33

Row as in a stramash, all girls I know called this.

MacAndDennisMoveToTheSuburbs · 24/02/2020 00:31

I’m in the central belt and would pronounce it like row as in argument.
I’ve known a few girls and only one boy with the name, so it’s more of a girl’s name in my mind, but could be either!

Parkmama · 23/02/2020 23:32

My name is Row-an pronounced "row your boat" however it's spelt Rowenne. I'm female and my family pronounce it Row-an however at school and in the workplace etc people have always pronounced it Row-en which I much prefer as it feels more feminine not to be confused with a boys name. So if I call my mum up I always refer to myself as Row-an but if I introduce myself to anyone new, I always say Row-en. Over the years I've had it all from Roweeeeena, Rowenta, Rowanne, Loraine . . . people really struggle to remember it and can't pronounce it from the spelling Rowenne. People at work have even put post it notes on their desks Row-N to remind themselves to say it properly Confused I really don't enjoy having this name, it causes no end of grief!!!

AHintOfStyle · 23/02/2020 23:28

Edinburgh area. Would pronounce Row as in an argument. I can think of 3 girls called that ages between 10 - 25ish. Don't know any names called that.

MrsBungle · 23/02/2020 23:24

I’m Scottish (south east) and would pronounce the name (and the tree) as in row your boat. I have heard it both ways though.

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