Rowan or Sonny?

[Peacefrog23]

Hi,

So pretty sure baby is going to be one of these. I love them both, and really cant decide.

Just wondering which you prefer?
And how many children do you know with these names?

Hopefully may help me to choose. If you don't like either just say which you prefer please!

Thanks so much for the help xx

I don't like Sonny as it's a sort of non name and I always think of Sonny Bono.

Associate it with old fashioned address of a young lad - you know - Sonny Jim

I think either will see him having the piss taken out of him at school

I love both names, for a girl.

Love Rowan and know of 2 girls and 2 boys with the name

@TheHumanSatsuma why?

What I would say is that the answer to the question “how many”....Roman (with an M) “people know of” in their circle is likely to change very dramatically over the next couple of years. It was the fastest rising name in 2018 and is steaming up the charts. So it’ll be a bit like Noah or Isla or Theo 10 years ago. In 2009 would have been saying then “the name is getting more popular but they’re not that popular, I only know 1 or 2” etc. And then suddenly .... look at those names now- both top 5! Noah and Theo for example were outside the top 50, ten years ago. Just bear in mind that Roman is the fastest rising name so as you say you are wanting to avoid top 20/30 names, I’d personally avoid Roman/Rowan/Rohan. Just depends if this would bother you or not.

Yeh I would prefer Rowan for a girl but I still don’t like it.

Sonny is a lovely name! It’s only used for boys in this country according to the official data. No baby girls were named Sonny in 2018.

Good luck choosing ❤️

I've never heard of a female Rowan so I'm really shocked at that! I prefer Rowan over Sonny

Ive never heard of a female Rowan

Well there’s RowanMumsnet for a start

I like both, but Sonny is more interesting IMO.

Love Sonny. It's a great name and I would have loved to use it.
Dislike Rowan for girl or boy (but see it as more a feminine name)

Is it for a girl or a boy do you know?

I absolutely love Rowena if it's a girl, which is just a slight tweak. Rowan always reminds me of Rowan Atkinson/Mr Bean ... but when I think about it do know some Rowan's who are lovely ... Sonny, have you been listening to that TV Ad, based on the 1970's song? It doesnt do it for me, but it's not the worst name that's been put forward on Mumsnet.

I love Rowan......for a girl. Sonny is not a name. Can you imagine a manager being called Sonny by junior staff. It just doesn't work.

In England and Wales Rowan is far far more popular for a boy! I have never met a female Rowan and if you check the name stats it was the 89th most popular name for a boy last year and only the 455th most popular name for a girl! So unless you live in Scotland it won't be considered remotely 'girly', not that it matters.
I know 1 Rowan and 2 Sonnys. I personally prefer Rowan but I think Sonny is nice too.

A) Sonny is a nickname for a little boy (short for son)

B) Sonny Jim

Both lovely names but I prefer Rowan.
If the above comments have put you off your chosen name how about Ronan?

I'm due a little boy soon and we are calling him Sonny! Love it x

I prefer Rowan (and consider it a boy's name). I know two aged8-10yrs.
I know one little boy called Sonny aged about two-three yrs.

Sonny is not even a nickname - it's what you call any boy.
My son is Rowam so I obviously like that...

Wow! Great response, thanks everyone! Really given me some food for thought.
Its so interesting, hearing different people's perceptions of a name.
To me Sonny makes me think of sunny as in the weather and a surfer/ hippie sort of name rather than sonny jim, but i get how it mostly comes across as that.

And rowan, well i just love thats its a tree name, and the pagan mythology about it.
i have considered other tree names but this is the only one we both liked.

Thanks again, i will update when little sonny or rowan makes an appearance x

Sonny feels a bit more special I agree 🥰 ❤️ Lovely name that has a lovely ‘feel’ to it.

Rowan/Roman/Roan/Rohan/Ronan all a bit run of the mill now and likely sound a bit dull to the next generation (especially given that Roman is the fastest rising name). A few years ago it was one of those names that was a bit fresh and different, but not now.

The Rowans I know are girls. Maybe the further up North in England you go the more it is regarded as a girls’ name maybe, seen as it’s definitely viewed as a girls name in Scotland. I’m in the North West of England.

Just depends if that is a concern.

Let us know what you decide @Peacefrog23

Sonny is great! Rowan bit common

What do you mean by common, @Poorolddaddypig? Popular or low class? Because Sonny...

Sonny is awful, sorry... it's a nickname for a little boy, not a proper name.

I quite like Rowan, though.

Love the name Sonny 👍

Find Rohan/Roman/Roan/Rohan/Rowan etc all very dull feminine and downmarket 👎 Too many variations

I know all girl Rowan’s and am in Devon, so it isn’t just seen as a girls name in Scotland.

I do know a Rohan that is pronounced the same. Rowan not Ro Han. His parents chose it from LOTR but misunderstood the pronunciation. He is extremely ‘spirited’.