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

[PegLegAntoine]

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

Either - it sounds feminine to me (perhaps because rowan is a small, pretty - but tough! - tree) but the famous Rowans are male.

Girl

Girl

I wouldn't assume - traditionally it's a male name, but at seems to increasingly be used for girls now.

Either. I know a lad and lass with that name.

Rowan boy, Rowanne girl both lovely names

Boy, in fact my boy. 18, 6ft and just lovely really.

I know one of each.

I've always preferred it for a boy so when I hear it I always imagine a boy. Wouldn't judge anyone using it for a girl though as I think it works well for both.

Boy as I knew a rowena as a kid and think.rowan Williams with the name!!

Boy.

However, I have known 2 grown up Rowans in the past- one male, one female.

It's not a name I would go for, mainly due to gender ambiguity

I would assume boy, although I know I shouldn't! It's a name I strongly associate with Reid, which also makes me think of a boy. I also think it's due to Rowan Atkinson for me.

I know both a male and a female Rowan but i think it's better for a girl and a bit wet sounding on a boy.

Girl as the only one I know in real life is a girl.

probably would think - boy.

but then my 15 yr old DS is Rohan. I love the name.

Girl.

In relatively recent history, it was a boys name in england and a girl's in Scotland. Although it's current fashionable status is probably changing that among this generation of parents

I'd assume girl because isn't the girl in the wickerman called rowan? I think it's nice for either sex

Is it currently fashionable Rose? The usage stats wouldn't suggest so (quoted up thread iirc). Maybe it is very regional?

I'd think it could be either a boy or girl, though I vastly prefer it for a girl. I don't know any irl (though I did pass Rowan Atkinson on the street once, does that count? )

youok that is where I first heard it as a girl's name :o one of my favourite films!

Thanks so much for responses everyone!

I mean the original film mind you. Not that Nick Cage remake monstrosity

christmasseacow i was going by the regularity with which is suggested in naming threads. Perhaps that doesn't equate to people actually using it though. :) It regularly comes up in lists of nature names.

It does rather but as you suggest I am
not sure mn suggestions are reflective of the names that are really used. I have been wondering about this a bit as I see some rather unusual names come up a lot.

For instance I see the name Elowen recommended on here a lot. I've just looked and there were only 35 of them in 2015. My own name seems to come up a couple of times a month but it doesn't even feature on the ONS list so must have been used fewer than 3 times that year (it's an old regional name, not a modern made up name).

I suppose for all the dozens of names people consider and suggest they only get to use a couple of them in the end!

First thought would be boy but girl wouldn't be a surprise. I know Rowans of both sexes.