How would you say...?

[LynAnne]

I like the name Rowen for a girl but I don't know how most people would pronounce it. I say it like "row" (as in a fight). I know some people would say it the other way; "row" like rowing but to me that seems more masculine?

What do you think?

 

[Jbree]

Id say row as in a fight xx

 

[sbl]

Rowan or Rohan is quite a common surname in Ireland and we pronounce it row as in row your boat.

 

[Lucy139]

I'd say row as in a boat but I've only ever heard it as a boys name

 

[Button#]

I'd say row as in row the boat. I know a girl and a boy with this name and both are pronounced the same.

 

[dizzy65]

I'd say Row as on row your boat

 

[Eleanor ace]

Row as in row your boat. I've never heard it pronounced the other way.

 

[MUMOF5]

Agree with others, as in row the boat.

 

[NicaQ]

My American self is really confused by this...I would pronounce both the same way lol I really just posted to say I think of Rowan as unisex.

 

[MariposaTam]

agree with above poster-in America and the pronunciation would be row like in row your boat. I don't understand the difference between that row and a fight row

 

[Bevziibubble]

I would pronounce it row as in row a boat

 

[Buffyx]

Row your boat Only heard it on a boy though.

 

[Pearls18]

Row like a boat, I've never heard it pronounced the other way, I always thought it was a male name I didn't realise girls had it too.

 

[JumpingIn]

For the confused Americans...

Over here, row as in a fight rhymes with cow, now, how and sow
Row as in your boat rhymes with low, crow, dough and know

To the OP...
I would say row (your boat) ENNE. That's because the "e" spelling is so unusual I would feel inclined to emphasise it. I'd NEVER say "row" to rhyme with cow, and I also only know Rowan as a boy's name, as in Atkinson, and spelt the same way as the tree with an "a". To be honest, it looks like a misspelling otherwise.

Funnily enough though, I grew up in a house called Rowen (Row-ENNE) in Wales, which makes me wonder if it has some Welsh connection spelt or pronounced that way. I have no idea.

 

[JumpingIn]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rowen,_Conwy

Aha, interesting! My house was near Conwy, too. Must be that. So at least Rowen spelt that way is a thing and not just a misspelling of the tree, although it's still pronounced as in row your boat.

 

[staralfur]

I pronounce row the same in both instances. Row as in boat.

I think it's cute for a girl.

 

[pippi_89]

Row as in boat. I would think of Rowen as a boys name too personally. I love Rowena though!

 

[grace10209]

Row - en, like others say. Row like a boat.

 

[NicaQ]

At least it sounds like we all say it the same way anyway! I agree with PP I would spell it Rowan and not mess with such a classic spelling

 

[MommyFirefly]

I also would pronounce it as rowing a boat lol It's definitely a unisex name though.

As far as Rowen/Rowan, they're both correct. So either one looks fine to me.