Eowyn (pronounced Ayo - win)

[Namingkidsishardwork]

Hello!

A quick survey which will hopefully help me greatly!

When I briefly worked with a lovely teenager called Eowyn about 4 years ago (a beautiful, popular girl with the nickname Ayo), I fell in love with the name and immediately put it on my list for a future daughter.

With that in mind, here is my question for you lovely folk:

without Googling this name or asking someone (no cheating!), what is the immediate thought you would have if you met a female of any age today who introduced herself and said "Hi, I'm Eowyn" (pronounced Ayo - win)?

Thank you :)

I think it's pretty, but unusual. Sounds a bit Lord of The Rings esque.

I would think LOTR.
Lovely name.
I did meet a toddler Eowyn the other day and her dad sounded a little bored of responding to LOTR comments.

If I met an adult Eowyn I'd say "Ooh, that's an interesting name! Do you mind if I ask where it's from?", as I am wont do to, then take it from there.

I've not read LOTR (too boring) but I don't have an issue with literary inventions becoming real names. Some are gorgeous.

Thank you all for your replies. This has been really insightful.

for your troubles :D

If I saw it written I'd pronounce it OH-wen and expect to see a boy. If I was introduced to the person I'd have to ask how to spell it and would probably suspect that it was a parent trying to be yoonique.

I have Welsh links so I would know it wasn't a Welsh name so I would assume it was some kind of fantasy novel link. Not read LOTR - assume it's from there then?

I would also think it sounds male, but that's because of the masculine Welsh ending.

I'd immediately think of LOTR as Tolkien made it up. The etymology is Old English, IIRC. Something to do with horses.

As mentioned above, the -wyn suffix means that it would be a masculine name in Welsh.

Lotr

Tolkien fan and feminist. Love it!

Tolkein and the fabulous author Eowyn Ivey would be my first thoughts, and I'd probably decide on the spot that I liked her and her parents on those grounds alone!

Yes, you're both correct fizzy & haha; Tolkein coined it as a given name for his books, but it is formed from two real Old English words, meaning "horse" and "joy" respectively. It's often taken to mean "friend/lover of horses" or simply "horse joy".

It's lovely but I prefer Arwen

Yup, I'd think "parents (probably mother) were major LOTR fans". And yy to badass feminist heroine - "I am no man" and stabs the witch king! (She was the character I wanted to be when I first read the books as a child. Sadly, I have grown into a rumpled middle aged woman and am nothing like her).

I would think:

"But no living man am I! You look upon a woman. Éowyn I am, Éomund's daughter. You stand between me and my lord and kin. Begone, if you be not deathless! For living or dark undead, I will smite you, if you touch him"

And since she is Rohan I would probably also then think - "And Rohan will answer."

Lotr!

LOTR too. Never met anyone with this name but it's nice. I probably prefer Arwen and off topic a bit but another similar Welsh name that's nice too is Anwen