Rohan... LOR connection

[annie9594]

I have been looking at baby names today and came across Rohan, I really like the name, so i asked my DH if he liked it too. He is a big lord of the rings fan so he loved it, i really like it but didn't make the lord of the rings connection when i first saw it, just wanted to get thoughts would you instantly think lord of the rings if you met someone called Rohan and assume their parents are super geek fans, or would you just hear it as a name?

It’s Indian/Nepalese in origin, isn’t it? So I think a lot of people wouldn’t make the LOR connection - you’ll be fine.

I have a Rohan. I don't think anyone's made the connnection to LOR.

Rohan is a popular Hindu Name. Your child might come across a few Rohans when he starts nursery / school. The Indian / Asian connection is probably more likely than the LOR connection. Only fans might make that connection and they won't think it's super geeky 😀. It's a lovely name. Go for it if you like it. It means "Red haired" in Sanskrit...

Would it be inappropriate for us to have Rohan as we neither of us have a connection to Hinduism? I do have have red hair though so if his a red head then would be quite fitting!

I didn't make that connection at all. I have seen the movies, more than once over years but wouldn't be an avid fan. I know an Arwen and she was named from LOTR but it's a beautiful name I also didn't make the connection start away

Not inappropriate at all. It's just a name...if you like it, go for it

And if he has red hair it'll be perfect 😊

I’d be a little surprised if you had a child called Rohan and neither of you liked LOTR at all - my first thought would be some sort of possible connection. But I also know it as a normal name in its own right too. A bit like having a child called Holly - I often think “ooh wonder if she’s a Xmas baby?” but obv might well not be.

I think of walking trousers primarily

I do immediately think LOTR because I’ve read the books many times but I would get over that pretty quickly. I’m already over it in fact!

My first reaction was to think of the outdoor clothing company called Rohan.

I'd assume you were Indian (I'd make no connection with LOR). My DH is Indian and its one of the names we were considering. Personally I think it's fine for you to use a name from another culture. So many of our British names related to other languages/cultures anyway. My own name is seen as British but actually an old German name. Others, however, will tell you you can't use it!

I like Rohan as a name . However I immediately think of an outdoor clothing company, my dad wears fleeces from them.

me too!
Never read or watched LOR so that wouldn't occur to me. I also wouldn't associate it as being an Indian name.

I also think of walking trousers but the two are associated as the company is named after the land of Rohan in LOTR :-)

I’d be surprised to meet a white Rohan. I’d assume you’d come across the name and chose it as a less popular alternative to Rowan without realising that it’s more popular in the Hindu community. I wouldn’t make the LOTR link, though when I asked my husband who is big fan, LOTR was his initial response.

I know a white Rohan. Although his name should be pronounced Ro-an, he gets called Ro-han. If you aren't Hindu, maybe Rowan would be better.

My friends have a Rohan. They are Hindu and therefore the name fits with their culture.
I thought of LOTR as soon as they announced the name - but to be honest I don't any more because it's his name.
If I met a Rohan who wasn't of South East Asian heritage then I think I would assume the parents were huge LOTR fans though.

Yep me too.

It’s perfectly nice though - but I wouldn’t use it because it just blurs into one with all the Roman, Rowan, Reuben, Rory and Ronans about

I only know one Rohan. He is white and thirty-ish.

I have a child with the same name as a LOTR character, more because we liked the name, I like the books/films but not a huge fan. Very few people make the connection, although I was very pleased when one of her neonatal nurses did and felt strangely reassured by the fact.