Reuben or Rowan

[Mamabear2020]

Hi! Trying to pick a name for our impending arrival and I think we have narrowed it down to 2.... would love to know which is your favourite and why (but no bashing please!) We already have an Arthur if that's relevant.

Rowan! Although we have a Ronan in the family and it really suits him.

Rowan

Reuben

Rowan. I like it better with Arthur

Rowan

I love rowan and am considering it for our baby boy, but i think i would spell it as rohan or roan. Just to differentiate it a little, as its a unisex name and the girls version is always spelt Rowan i think, although ive only ever met boy rowans x

My two favourite names! 🤩

I think Rowan is a better match for Arthur. A good pair of English names 👍

Wow. That's a landslide response so far. Thank you! That's interesting @Peacefrog23 - appreciate the alternatives too!

I’m not keen on either. Reuben doesn’t go, but I don’t like Rowan for a boy. But Rowan is definitely the better match here.

Reuben for me, of the two (but I’d pick Rupert if it was there!).

I have a Roan.

Rowan is lovely.

Another vote for Rowan.

I have a baby girl called Rowan. I still like the name but to be honest I wish I’d come here for advise before I chose it. I now see that Roman was the fastest rising top 100 boys name last year and I get a bit fed up of having to say “Rowan with a W”. There’s 2 Roman’s (with an M) in our local baby group of 10 baby’s, does make me a bit frustrated. Serves me right for choosing a trendy name without looking at the fastest rising lists first

Yeh sorry the recent massive upsurge in the popularity of the name RoMan (with an M) has made Rowan unusable to me. I was not surprised to read that RoMan was last years fastest rising name- it’ll be top 10/20 in the next couple of years on current trajectory. I work in paediatrics with newborns and the name Roman has come from nowhere to be being inundated with Roman’s. My friend has a cute little girl called Rowan and she also has that problem where people mishear and assume RoMan.

Reuben to my ears is much more classic and less “trendy” (and sounds lovely with Arthur). Reubs is a nice nickname whereas the inevitable nickname of “Row” (row row your boat) sounds unfinished to me

I love them both and they were both on my shortlist for DS, but we went with Reuben so of course I am a bit biased when I say it’s my favourite.

Reuben is so much nicer for a boy - nice classic solid name to go with Arthur

I see Rowan as a girls name (it’s a top 100 fast rising girls’ name in Scotland but doesn’t feature in the top 100 boy lists - I know that’s different in England)

Don’t like inevitable nickname Row either

Yeh we are inundated with Roman’s (with an ‘h round here too. There’s 2 in my small NCT group. Never heard the name before last year! With Roman kemp on “I’m a celebrity” and Roman Roy on new(ish) tv programme “Sucession”, name Roman is going to continue booming.

When there’s so many lovely names to choose from I’d avoid picking one that is practically identical and ripe for confusion with 2018/2019s fastest rising boy name

I don’t think Reuben is at all classic. It’s Old Testament Jewish/American Puritan. Arthur is old English myth/Victoriana. That’s why they seem to jar together.

Reuben. Because I think Roo is a super cute nickname! However this could change to Ben when they’re at school which I’m not as mad on (sorry not particularly helpful!)

Rowan. To me it's a male name and I have an adult one. He was named after the tree (also known as the Mountain Ash).

I didn't come across any others when he was growing up but appreciate it's become more popular and unisex.

I use shortened versions of all my children's names so do call him Ro as do his siblings and his GF.

I would choose Rowan, although the two names you have chosen are very different to Arthur. Do you have Jewish heritage as Reuban is a standard Jewish name.

Don’t like Reuben.
Rowan is a bit better.
Rupert is hideous.

Love love love the previous suggestion of Roan though!

Reuben.
It's so much classier than Rowan or Roman.
I think of Roman Polanski when I hear Roman and who wants to have the same name as that piece of shit.

I think Rowan is too try hard and therefore common.
It's just my opinion but you did ask.

Wow - lots of responses since last night.

Taking on board what previous posters have said re: Roman. Not one I've heard in this area yet but definitely a consideration if its gaining popularity and I will forever be correcting!

No Jewish heritage @PrettyPurpleFeather, just think it's a lovely name!

Thank you for all the responses so far. Lots of food for thought.

Rowan! Reuben is lovely too though.

I know a Rowan and a Roman and they have no problems with anyone mishsaring or having to say anyone having to say "no not Roman" surely people just arent enunciation properly if that's the case?