Rowen

[polkadotskirt.livejournal.com]

My favourtite boys name at the moment is Rowen. However, I think I would like the middle name of any kids i have (ages away yet) to be the names of my grandparents - BUT Rowen Stephen and Rowen Harry don't sound so good to my ears.

What do you think? do you think that to use a family name is important enough to put up with it sounding less than a perfect pairing? Because Harry and Stephen aren't really my style of first name (want something quite unusual without being stupid and there are loads of harrys and stephens!) but I want to use them I probably would just ignore the fact that they aren't perfect, but I'm just wondering what you all think.

Comments

[poespretty.livejournal.com]

I think Rowen Stephen sounds good together actually (provided your ln doesn't sound terrible with this combo). personally, I don't like Rowan Harry together at all.

[polkadotskirt.livejournal.com]

No I didn't like Rowen/an Harry at all either. Last name when I have kids will hopefully be differnt to now, so I can't decide on that yet!

[krosp.livejournal.com]

I think they both sound fine, really. Unless your last name also ends with "en", in which case Rowen Stephen ____en would be a bit overboard. I think only you can answer the question of whether naming after family is important enough to put up with a less perfect flow... but I can just say that I don't think either of those names are bad.

Btw I much prefer the spelling Rowan. It's a great name, and I normally hate names with a w in it, but I like this one.

[polkadotskirt.livejournal.com]

e/a I don't know! I should have looked it up really, i just heard it a couple of days ago and really liked the sound. I think Stephen is ok with it, but I'm just not sure...

[omgpregnant.livejournal.com]

What about your grandparent's middle names? If they sound good with Rowen, would you be willing to use them?

[polkadotskirt.livejournal.com]

I would, if they'd had any! That's the plan with a girl, as one of my grannys was Dorothy May and I like May but not dorothy, so May is a possable mn there.

[polkadotskirt.livejournal.com]

I think it is Rowan, I just heard it and liked it, and didn't actually check the spelling! My parents altered my dad's mum's name to be my middle name, as she was named Betty, but as Betty is usually short for elizabeth they gave me that instead. Just can't think what to do with Stephen or Harry, besides maybe harrold but i don't like that

[mrsduryee.livejournal.com]

That name is really femenine to me, especially spelled Rowan, as ppl are suggesting. Am I crazy?

I don't think either one sounds bad, btw.

[polkadotskirt.livejournal.com]

It does sound feminine, and in a book i read there was a female rowan, but it is traditionally a boys name and i know one, so perhaps it is unisex... wouldn't use it for a girl though, as my girls list is very VERY long!

[sayga.livejournal.com]

yeah, i think for a boy, it should be rowEn.

[sotypical42483.livejournal.com]

I think Rowen Stephen sounds nice. I don't really care for Rowen Harry, but it doesn't sound BAD

[sotypical42483.livejournal.com]

oh and yes I would use a family name that meant something to me even if it didn't flow perfectly.

[turabiannights.livejournal.com]

Rowan Stephen sounds fine to me, as long as the last name wouldn't end in an -en, as others have said. Rowan is indeed the correct spelling of the name. It's derived from the rowan tree. I prefer the A spelling because "Rowen" is too close to "Rowena," the feminine version... and for some reason reminds me too much of "rowin'"... :D Rowan Harry is fine, too - I think Rowan Henry would sound better, but I understand it's a family name.

Rowan is used in some frequency by American mothers on their daughters, but it is far more common as a boys name. Mr. Bean and the Archbishop of Canterbury are both named Rowan.

[polkadotskirt.livejournal.com]

Ah I know it's not essential, but for the past 2 years I havn't had any grandparents, and i do miss them, and i guess i am a traditional person! But i am using out-of-family-character 1st names, as in not die-hard traditional names! want my kids to have more unusual names.

Rowan stephen is growing on me. I like stephen more than harry in it's own right, but there are lots and i dislike steve as a nickname, so i'd only have it as a middle name

[polkadotskirt.livejournal.com]

That's a really good idea! must bear that in mind in 10 years or so when kids come :p the thing i didn't like was the ryhming-ness of rowan stephan, but rowan stefan sounds better :) Stefan is my favourite of those ones, it just doesn't rhyme so much cus the emphasis is different. Great suggestion thanks :D

[elemmennope.livejournal.com]

I think the concept of flow is totally overrated and that using a name you want to use for family reasons or just because you really love it is far more important.

I agree that if the last name ends in a -en/-an sound than Rowan Stephan is probably not the greatest, but otherwise I think both combos sound fine.