My son rowan is 10 months but might change pronunciation. How do you say it?

[clothaddict]

My son rowan is 10 months. I love his name. I pronounce it like row (as in cow)-an. I'm Scottish and that's just the way I've always said this name. But when I introduce him must say majority people say roe-an (rhyme with row boat). I also like this pronunciation and the more time goes on wonder if should just say it this way. A few folk have mentioned the roe-an way is masculine, row-an feminine?? I don't want my child who I have given a unisex name a different pronunciation too.

Do you think I can/ should change how I say it?! I know need do it now before poor blighter confused.

I know it's up to us how we say it and all will follow but my thinking is more folk say roe-an, might be more male and I like it that way equally! Whether I can change it in my head I don't know though. I automatically say row (as in cow).

ZOMBIE THREAD ALERT 🚨

🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨

I realise your son is nearly 10 but I was delighted to find your post.. I empathise

We named ( don’t be mad) our new puppy Rowan after the tree with the pretty berries . We had hoped she would have a coat the same colour as the autumn 🍁 leaves - she doesn’t - but we love her still.

Huge arguments in the family however about how to pronounce the name … and the number of people who have stopped me to correct me. If you think people stick their nose into kids and parenting, it’s a whole different ball game with dogs .
I have had neighbours come out and stop me to say it bothers them to hear me calling her wrong .
Everyone here in the east coast of Scotland calls the tree Rowan ( as in Cow-un) but half my kids grew up in England and like their English identity .. and presume it is Roe—ahn, like the actor or the archbishop and don’t want to fit in. The Scottish born kids are smaller and don’t mind
Husband and I want an easy life and not have to explain to people but we don’t want to upset the kids who feel we are giving in. I think it’s a pretty and dainty tree - so it is very female ( like juniper, bramble, Berry ) but I also know it is a catholic saint ( male). I don’t like the Cow/ Row sound as It reminds me of the common Scots word for an argument or a scolding

I realise I am no help but I just wanted to say I feel your pain !
And I hope you and boy Rowan don’t have to explain and justify like we have to.

Yet another Scot who says 'row' lik 'cow', and also Lach (not Loch) lann

I know this is a zombie thread, but, if it matters, just to complicate things further, the Gaelic name for Rowan tree has the 'coo' sound:
learngaelic.net/dictionary/index.jsp?abairt=rowan%20tree&slang=both&wholeword=false

Damn, I was going to unleash righteous Welsh fury against the poster who claimed that Dr Rowan Williams was English but then I noticed that it's a zombie and she's probably long gone.

@BIAx3

Why on earth did you post on here knowing it's 10 years old

@scottishnames

Yet another Scot who says 'row' lik 'cow', and also Lach (not Loch) lann

Snap. Yet another Scot. Rowan tree is the pronounciation for me.

Not sure how “lach” gets transformed into “loch”
Still, it could be worse and be “lock”!

[quote Eltonsglasses]@BIAx3

Why on earth did you post on here knowing it's 10 years old [/quote]
Why not? People are happy to join in the conversation clearly.

Oh - and Row (cow) an - and I'm Scottish.

@AwaAnBileYerHeid

I tagged the person who did it and asked them directly. Why have you answered for them?

@Eltonsglasses

Because it's a public forum and anyone can reply to anything they like.

Don't change. He is gonna have to get used to different pronunciation of his name. I'm sure he will be fine!

I would say row(cow)an for a girl and roe-an for a boy

Roe-an

Use whichever you prefer, which sounds like the cow-rhyming version! Both pronunciations are ‘unisex’

I'm Scottish and know a female Rowan like cow and a male that is pronounced like Roe-an.

Ah crap - sorry just realised how old this is

Roe-un

Never heard it pronounced cow-an.

I’ve sat for a really long time trying to rhyme cow and row. Like an argument?

@SloganLogan

Row the boat, for both male and female Rowans.

Me too

It's a gorgeous name for both boys and girls. I think you should stick with your instinctive pronunciation. Sounds like its normal where you are.

Good grief. Zombie thread!

Roe-un

Never heard it said any other way.

Not a zombie thread as 17 people
Have cared to write again !

Also - fascinating ( though irrelevant) insight

I do like it

Nobody said he was English

But there is a common English pronoinciation to his name which is what we hear in the news

How do the Welsh say it - cow / doe / coo ???

Zombies can live !

Because it is an issue that bothered me for a while

I have never bothered logging in to mimsnet to leave a comment t but this is something that affected me enough to get a login and write a comment … the 17 people wrote back ( some to complain about zombies ) which I don’t get - it is still a relevant topic that we are all discussing now