Rowan or Rían (Ree-an) for our boy 🩵

[Maero]

where I’m from Rían has become super popular. Help us decide please & suggestions with middle names would be super appreciated too.

Also Roan is a variant

Ree Ann spelt Rhian is a very popular Welsh girls name . Particularly among women in their 40s. Come to Wales and every other 40 something woman is called Rhian, Rhiann or Rhiannon. Don't do it to the kid! It's Ryan or Rowan with Rowan being more up market.

Rohan is nice.

Rían is an Irish boys name. It means little king. I think it depends on where the OP lives.

Rowan

If you ask about Fionn, you'll get a few 'It's a Welsh girl's name' because it looks a bit like Ffion, and Rían might get mixed up with Rhian or Ryan.

Rhian isn't 'Ree Ann', it's RHEE-ann (REE-ann at a pinch). Was very popular in the 1960s.

In England and Wales, Ryan was very popular in the1990s. Seems dated now but for me it's still strongly associated with the immensely talented Ryan Davies.

It doesn’t need a fada.

The surname doesn’t have one and the original meaning of Rian (from which the surname Ó Riain /Ryan) is derived is unknown.

If you did want to use a name meaning little king that would be Ríán…the name doesn’t make sense with one fada even though it seems to be popular now.

I like Rowan.

Rowan

OP are you from Ireland? Rian has risen in popularity so much in the past 10 years. It used to be top of my boy list but now I prefer Rowan, but they are both great choices.

Another option, if you are in Ireland is Ruadhan (I'm not going to attempt to get the fadas right).
It's pronounced Roo-awn.

@StrongLikeMamma is Rohan pronounced the same way as Rowan?

@Anotherdayanotherdollar Im from Northern Ireland and it would be a male name here. I’ve never met a female called Rian, Reean, etc.

Rowan or Rohan. Both handsome.

Riaan is a very popular boys name where I live.

Pronounced as Ree-ahn

I don’t think there should be a fada, just Rian. Just like Cian has no fada.

It’s a lovely name

Rua is nice, too

If youre in Ireland and its common for boys in Gaelic then it's a legitimate choice. However, if he should move to Wales or England he will indeed encounter women with his name. Whether this bothers you or not is up to you. He won't have this experience with Rowan.

I've known three Rowans and they were all female.

Rowan is v nice.

Also don't forget trusty and reliable
Ronan
Rory

It might get pronounced Rye-ann instead of ree-ann?

Rian is also a quite old fashioned dutch name - not relevant if he’ll never live there 😅.

Riyan or Rayan might also appeal?

Love it.

Gosh, I thought Roman was a (lovely) girl’s name

Where do you live now? Rhiann skews female in England if you’re here

Rowan to me is a girls name. And also how are you saying rowan. Like having a row or row row row your boat? I’m in Scotland so it’s rowan as in having a row.

@Dmsandfloatydress , I think you are mixing up Rian and Rhian.

@2GreatFatSquirrels , Rhiann looks like a bad spelling of Rhian.
Rowan is unisex generally, and is Ro-wun.

@Maero , Rohan is Ro-haan, but it has more than one origin so might vary.

@Piapea yes, I am from Northern Ireland.

Rían/Rian seems to be VERY popular in Ireland for boys. It’s flying up the charts. Last year it was no 22, which is relatively popular (Rowan was 54). I myself haven’t heard anyone local to me being called Rian, However, I have heard some NI bloggers kids being called it.

I’ve liked Rowan since hearing it first in 2012, now it’s come to actually naming a child/who will become an adult, I’m like okay, what else. I like the sound of Rian. Not sure about how popular it is. I have girls also, who have very uncommon names. Not wacky, just not overly used. They are both nature names also, which Rowan would go with the theme, if you like, however, that never comes into it when the person is an adult and in isolation to their siblings, if you know what I mean.