Rowena

[Edenember]

Absolutely adore this name, but I’m discouraged by the wiener or ‘wee’ related teasing potential. Is this a legitimate concern, in your opinion?

I wouldn’t have thought so. Wouldn’t have occurred to me.

Sounds like you’re wanting the pronunciation Row-ee-na and in some parts of the U.K., especially Wales, most people will assume Row-enna with e as in elephant. But once told, they will know and it’s not hard to pronounce

@FontyMcFontface Thankyou. Just wouldn’t want to saddle with anything burdensome and the ‘wiener’ sound is so distinct it worries me. Kids tease enough without being handed something on a plate.

Definitely!! It wouldn’t have occurred to me though

I absolutely love this name, but the 'weiner' part never even occured to me. I would still use it!

It wouldn’t have occurred to me either but I don’t like that there isn’t an obvious nickname for quite a long name - Row is obviously not good.

I like the name Rowena and I don't think it's a problem. In general I think fears of bullying over names are overstated. Sadly some children will be bullied at school, but (even if it's their name that is teased) it won't be the cause, while a cool, popular child can pull off any name. Children could twist any name to be teased if they really wanted to.

It’s lovely.

I recently read a book where a character called Rowena was known by Wren instead. You could use Rona as a nickname, but then you may as well go for Wren or Rhona as the main name anyway

Gorgeous name. I slightly prefer Rowenna for the pronunciation, but like Rowena too. The teasing potential wouldn't have occurred to me.

I went to school with a Rowena. It got shortened to Row, nothing else.

Thanks all, maybe I’ve overthinking it.

I know a child Rowena and it's shortened to row.

don't understand the point about negative connotations, maybe you are not in uk ?
it means nothing negative to me here in england.
i think it's a perfectly acceptable name.
a little old-fashioned maybe, but that's just my feeling, and anyway most names suddenly become very fashionable again just at the point they seem terribly old fashioned.
it reminds me of a lady author of detective novels, between the wars.

I have a friend called Rowena, it's a beautiful name. None of us shorten it.

It isn't a Welsh name, it's Scottish.

I know one and she gets called Ro.

I know a Rowena and it never even occurred to me to call her anything but, let alone that there is "wiener" in her name.

It's a beautiful name.

Love it and that issue wouldn’t have occurred to me.

I'm thinking Harry Potter.

Lovely name - from Poldark ?

The Poldark character was Rowella

@alexdgr8 no I’m in the uk. I thought wiener as an insult (a childish form of calling someone a ‘penis’ originating from the sausage) was fairly well known. If it isn’t, that’s good enough for me, but I only know about it from hearing kids use it, which is what made me worry about that sound being so obvious in the name.

One of the most beautiful and kind women I have ever met is called Rowena, so I associate nothing but positive things to this name. It is lovely.

My child did call Rowena 'weena' when she was small but I don't think most Brits think of sausages.

I know a Rowena and her name is shortened to Row. I think it’s lovely! There are lots of names with teasing potential but in reality, kids get teased because of differences/ quirks in their personality far more often than for anything to do with their name. For example, I remember a very popular girl in my primary class called Stephanie (shortened to Stephie) and I thought it was beautiful. Then in high school there was a girl who was always bullied for her appearance and nerdy nature, her name was Stephanie too and they called her Ste-FANNY. It was awful! What I’m saying is, it’s not the name.

It is a lovely name.