Quick poll - you hear of a baby called Rowan, are they...

[PegLegAntoine]

A boy or a girl? What would you assume first?
Thanks!

Either--never assume.

It's up there in the 'not sure' box along with Lesley, Hilary and Darcey for me!

Either. I know both, age range 13 to 3 months.

I wouldn't assume any sex. But I prefer it for a girl.

Either. I know one of each.

A boy.

I know two. One spelt Rowan, one spelt Rohan. Both boys.

Boy

Boy but like it for either.

Boy

Thanks again all!

It's partly the mr bean thing that would make me think twice about using it for a boy. Even though we love blackadder etc too :o but I'd hope when people meet a little girl called rowan they'd be less likely to think of it anyway.

Interesting about the pronunciation too, we would definitely have it with the ow as in oh

Girl.

Boy.

Male. It's unisex but predominantly used for boys

In 2015- 66 girls registered as Rowan, 572 boys

My instant gut feeling would be girl, but then of course there's Rowan Atkinson etc so I wouldn't find it in any way eyebrow-raising were it to be a boy. Nice name, I feel it has a sort of hippy-ish vibe to it

boy

I'd think boy, just because the only Rowans I know are male.

But it's nice for a girl too

Boy.

I know several male Rowens and z

Oops - and zero female ones. I don't like it for a girl at all.

Definitely a boy. I know two Rowans. One is 25 and the other 21. I don't know any famous female Rowans but I immediately think of Rowan Atkinson and Rowan Williams (Old Archbishop of Canterbury). Really lovely name.

Boy. Only know male Rowans. Love it!

Either but I'd sway more to boy.

I think the pronunciation depends where you're from... Here in Scotland I've only ever heard it pronounced Row-an (row as in argument) but have likewise only heard Roe-an from English friends. It's a lovely name for either a boy or girl - I would make no assumptions about a person being male /female if I heard it. Would love to use it myself of I ever have another but unfortunately a couple of friends have already so it is probably out for me... I think you should use it OP! :-)

it's a boys name
the girl version is rowena
i don't know why people have started using it for girls

The 3 I know are all boys

I'd spell it rowen for a girl