Rowan or Roman? Which is better?

[Glitterball01]

Exactly that, which name is better for a boy? And why?
Thanks !!

Rowan - though more & more people are using it for girls ...
Roman is just ... erm ... unless it’s from your heritage, I think it shouts trendy/celeb

I have a Roan. He is the only one I have known. He loves his name.

I think both are ok and a few years ago would have considered using either but both have boomed in past 2 years. Which is a bit awkward as they’re very same-y and very similar to other names which are also gaining (Roan, Rohan). I work with children and it does get confusing these days.

Roman was the fastest rising boys name in 2018 (the most recent year we have statistics for), and Rowan also leaped into top 100 for first time in history (so could ‘date’, if that bothers you)

The sound Row-Anne sounds quite feminine to me but maybe that’s because the Rowan’s I know are girls. It’s a top 100 girls name in Scotland and doesn’t feature in the boy lists. Also getting popular for girls in America. Brooke Shields daughter is Rowan.

Sorry to be a bit negative. I like the nickname “Rome” for Roman though (dislike “Row” row row your boat)

Rowan

Neither are to my taste because of the RoHan, RoMan, RoWan, Roan upsurge in names, I just find them a bit too trendy and therefore uninspiring and run of the mill. But quite like Rome as a nickname though (but not Row). Have you got any other names on your shortlist?

Roman is definitely universally regarded as a boys name. Rowan unisex.

There were 100 baby girls called Rowan in England in 2018 so used much more for boys still. But the tide is changing. In the US the name Rowan for girls is continuing to rise quite quickly year on year (see graph) and once that starts happening people just tend to stop using it for boys. The unfair rule that boys names on girls are cool but girls names on boys are illegal.

Roman is much nicer.

Rowan is classier.

I love Rowan and would use it if I were having a boy. I like it for a girl too though.

Roman is downmarket.
Rowan isn't.

I wouldn't pick either. Rowan is nice but R names are currently too trendy.
Ryan was nice until it became too popular.

Rowan makes me think; British, countryside, rosy cheeked.

Roman makes me think E European, cerebral, and distinctly indoorsy.

Both fabulous names. I’ve had them both of my own shortlist more than once.

Roman is marginally better.
Rowan is very feminine (to me). It's also very common.

I don’t like Rowan at all. If anything I think its more a girls name

Roman is ok, but quite ‘celeby’. Lucy Mecklenburgh and Ryan Thomas have just had a Roman, same as Ore Oduba.

I have one of the two (was my favourite name long before the surge in popularity). I'm always mystified that people see them as similar as the etymology is totally different. Rowan has Gaelic origins or references the tree. Roman is of Eastern European heritage.

I’ve taught both and would definitely go for Rowan based on that.

My baby girl is called Rowan so obviously I do like the name but to be honest I hadn’t realised when I chose it that it was getting so popular at the exact same time as Roman and I didn’t appreciate Roman is currently the fastest rising boys name.
There’s two Roman’s at our local nursery so I often find myself saying “I’m calling about Rowan ...with a W”! Not quite what I had anticipated when I picked the name for my daughter 🙈🙈 I actually thought it would be seen as fairly interesting and unusual 😂 Instead it’s like... “which one? Sorry? M or W?”. Oh.

I still think it’s a nice name but I will check the lists more carefully next time and avoid trendy names that are rife for confusion. But that wouldn’t bother some people so just depends on the individual.

My family call her Row though which I hate and I’ve asked them not to but they do it by accident so it’s not their fault.

Apparently the “Rowan” tree is actually pronounced to rhyme with Row (as in argument) or Cow. The name is pronounced that way in Scotland apparently.

Rowan. Biased as I have one but he's 21 and he was the only one all the way through school.

He likes his name which is all that counts really. When he was tiny he was known as Roly but as he grew he became Ro. Family still call him Ro as does his GF and her family.

Rowan. Just nicer imo.

Isn’t the male spelling Rohan?
I like it

Ah well done on getting in there with a “Rowan” before Roman and Rowan boomed @MaidenMotherCrone - you were well ahead of the curve! A trendsetter! I definitely think a few years ago these were great names. Bit annoyed my daughter wasn’t born twenty years ago too tbh 🤣
Roman used to be outside the top 700 names until recently, now it’s headed for the top 20 🙄🤣

@PlantPotting he had so many compliments about his name growing up which was lovely and I still think it's a lovely name. He was named after the tree ( I'm Pagan so 🤷🏻‍♀️). In fact his tree is about 30 ft away from where I'm sitting.

Rohan is a different name and is Ro-han not Roh-an

Ah the Rohan I know is pronounced the same as Rowan

I wonder if Norman or Saxon will become popular soon?

I prefer Rowan to Roman, I know a Rowan is his 40s

Also know a Romain (he's French - pronounced Rho-man) nickname Ro

I know a few Rowans and they are all from slightly hippy, middle class families.

I've come across a few Romans, and half have been the same (hippy middle class) and half have been total chavs.

I like both names, but just an observation.