Help with middle name and spelling?

[FindTheLightSwitchDarren]

I think we've finally decided on a boy name. It's taken aaaages to decide and is the only boy name we both like. I've been through a lot of lists of names and a fair few MN threads. DH and I have very different taste in names and honestly, it's been driving me bonkers, hence some ridiculous excitement on my part over finally choosing the name! For that reason we probably don't need any more suggestions on first names now.

Anyway, the name is Rohan, pronounce the same as Rowan, (possibly we would spell it Rowan. Although, on the last thread I had about it, a few people said that was more of a girl's name to them)? What are people's thoughts on the spelling? I am Irish and DH is English, if that makes a difference. We live in England.

Also, what middle name do you think? Our surname is a common, British surname ending in -son. Think Jackson.

I like:

Rohan / Rowan Isaac
Rohan / Rowan Francis
Rohan / Rowan George
Rohan / Rowan Jacob
Rohan / Rowan Luke
Rohan / Rowan Matthew
Rohan / Rowan Samuel

We already have a DD with a classic / traditionally British, top 100, (but not top 50), name. Her middle name honours one of our parents who sadly died just before I fell pregnant.

Tia.

My son is Rowan and we pronounce it Row as in in a boat. That’s the way I’ve always known it to be pronounced as my family are from Yorkshire. However as a Scot living in Scotland we get a lot of Row as in an argument. People happily pronounce it properly when corrected.

Agree with others that Rohan makes me say Ro-Han

My auntie is Rowan Frances. I always thought Rowan was the feminine spelling? Id pronounce both spellings the same way

That's a funny coincidence @scotstar! It did occur to me that both names are unisex (except the Francis / Frances difference in spelling). I quite like that, but don't know a Frances who absolutely hates that her name sounds the same as the male version, so don't know if we'll go for that.

*do know!

"No-one pronounces the Row in Rowan as row like an argument!"

They do if they are Scottish!

I vote for Rowan Isaac

To complicate matters further, we used to live in Scotland and loved it. We've often talked / daydreamed about moving back there, so then, surely the Rowan spelling is asking for confusion. I'm Irish too and we visit there a lot, so maybe Rohan? Tricky!

Rowan Matthew (I know brothers called Matthew and Rowan)

Rowan Matthew it's very lovely!

Yes I know a Scottish one prn. as in argument - sort of Rau-ann. spelled Rowan. Some people pronounce it the other way though and it doesn't seem to matter! The biggest issue friends with a Rowan had was when they were in Ireland on holiday and they were constantly asked to repeat it, and the general thing was that folk sort of said it in one syllable - sort of Raan.

It will generally be pronounced Row as in boat. Just NOT ROHAN- it's not the same name and really doesn't look right!

Afaik Rohan is an Irish name, pronounced the same as Rowan, but not the same name I don't think, as they have different meanings.

I'm sure I've met a Rowan / Rohan in Ireland before now and I didn't notice anyone mispronouncing.

dd has a friend Rohan, so I always think of Rowan as the girl's spelling and Rohan as the boy's

I like all your middle names, but I wouldn't use Francis. I personally think if you use a name which can be either boy/girl for a first name, don't also use a boy/girl name for middle name.

I know Francis is the male version and Frances the female, but you don't know the spelling if you just hear it.

Rowan is lovely 'little red one' apparently

I love rowan Samuel

I like all of your middle names.
But definitely Rowan not Rohan. I know one boy Rowan, no girls. Oh and Rowan Atkinson

Yes, Blackadder himself! Can't be bad . Mr Bean though...

Rowan Williams too.

Rowan Francis

I am an Irish teacher living in England.

I have taught a number of rowan/ Rohan's in England, Ireland and Scotland over the years.

Rohan is nearly universally pronounced with an audible 'h'

• row-han (think lord of rings!)

Rowan can be either male or female. Generally pronounced row-an or row-en dependent on regional dialect.

I personally would choose Rowan Isaac.

The only Rohan’s I have ever met have been Asian Indian descent...pronounced Row (like boat) han.

Oh interesting moo. Thanks for that!

I'm going to double check how the Rohan / Rowan from home spells his, as I like his pronunciation and we have the same accent.

Oh ffs, I've borrowed DH's fb account to look the guy up, and Rohan is actually his surname, not his first! It's definitely Rohan though and I like how it's pronounced... Still undecided. Will have to think.

The problem is that there seems to be an Indian / Sri Lankan name Rohan where the h is pronounced, so it could get mistaken for that if we used Rohan.

Think Rowan might have to be the one. We would just have to correct people if we ever happen to move back to Scotland and it gets pronounced row, as in argument.

When I try to say Rowan like the argument, it comes out like a very over the top Brummy accent

Rowan and which ever middle name you like the best. Once the D.C. are born few people remember or care about the middle name. I don't think it matters at all how the whole name goes together as no one ever says a full name. First names and surnames should sound good together though.

I like ALL your middle name choices. 😁

It’s one of my favourite names at the moment.

There is a little boy at DS2’s nursery called Rohan - pronounced Ro Harn, everyone got it wrong for ages though and he was called ‘Ro han’.