To wonder why people can’t say my name

[Rowennanotrowena]

I am resigned to being Rowena is written correspondence. But why is it when I say ‘my name is Rowenna’ people keep saying Rowena? The two names look similar written down but sound very different so I’m not sure why people get it wrong. And AIBU to find it really irritating?

What’s the difference?

Does one n have an ‘ee’ sound and two nns an ‘eh’ sound.

How do you say it?
is it Ro-when-a? Or Row-we-na?

I would have have read them both as Ro-we-an. Just with a different spelling.

That's clarified things for me.

But also, obviously not. I've only met one of your namesake. She had a single 'n'. I said ro-wee-na. What's correct?

What a lovely name.
Rowena is more common I suppose. But I’d find that annoying too.

Is it pronounced Rowena or Rowena?

Either way, i really like the name, and know a couple of called that and both go by the name of Row

If I just saw your name written but had not heard how it was pronounced, I'd also just assume it was a variation on a spelling of Rowena too.

How is your name pronounced?

Perhaps when you introduce yourself you need to be clear on the pronunciation for people.

I understand the frustration that comes with either incorrect spelling/addressing you by a similar name - I get the same (think Julie vs Juliette). If it's just an acquaintance I usually let it slide. If it's something important such as official documents I correct it, or if it's someone I'll be having a lot of contact with, I correct it. Annoying, yes, but it happens to a lot of us!

I knew two Rowenas. One pronounced it as Row ee na and one pronounced it as Row en ia.

Seeing them written down wasn’t helpful but after them both telling me how to say their names I got it.

With two n I would say row-when-nah

Every person I've ever met pronounced it row ee nah - so I do understand it is annoying, but when you have an alternative pronunciation people will naturally assume the more common variant

I'd go for Ro-when-a, but I lived in Cornwall.

I’d say the middle part of your name as ennn rather than eeeen. Is that correct?

I’m guessing you say Row en ah rather than Row ee na?

Rowenna is obviously pronounced with a short middle syllable as in “went”. That’s a function of the double “n”.

Have you noticed that it's spelled differently? Because that does make a difference to how it's pronounced.

These responses have answered your question, OP. Most people have not bothered to read your OP properly and don't know the different in pronunciation between Rowena and Rowenna. No-one cares about language and will just say that language evolves and you can pronounce things any way you like. I would blame your parents who clearly insisted on a "special" version of your name which is now causing you problems.

The way you spell it I would definitely pronounce it Rho-when-a. Tough for Jonathan Ross either way though.

Ro-weh-nah?

I’m from a country where you’d pronounce double n so in my head I’d think (but not say outloud over here) Ro-when-nah).

This. I think it’s a function of how poorly English Language is taught in this country, that people don’t understand the basic rules which show them how words should be pronounced. Yes, English is an irregular language with lots of foibles, but if you know the rules which do exist, it all becomes much easier.

I recognise your name OP and think it’s pronounced Row - Eh- na

I also think it’s because the Row-we-na version is more common that this happens, it’s a bit lazy of people, you would have to correct them and say nicely how annoying it is, or mispronounce to their name to make a difference

Correct them every time.

What good would ´blaming’ her parents do? It could be a common pronunciation where she grew up. All it takes is for people to take another second to look at a name properly. It’s part of one’s identity.

Its very rude and entitled for people to say oh well it’s a different spelling, sounds different, looks different so what do you want me to do.

Hopefully people in the younger generation will understand the meaning of this with the current various campaigns on the importance of names.

I feel you, my surname has a vowel followed by a double consonant.
So many people pronounce the vowel long it's quite irritating.
It is a basic rule of pronunciation. Short vowel double consonant.
People should assume short vowel in these cases unless told otherwise.

No I didn't, I assumed in the op the instance of spelling with the double n was just the pronunciation as it was written as a quote - so inferred the spelling was single n but wanted it pronounced double n

Either way it is the pitfalls of a less common variation, a lifetime of mistaken identify