See the results of this poll: Is this pronunciation okay?
Respondents: 84 (This poll is closed)
- Yes : 69 (82%)
- No : 14 (17%)
- other: 1 (1%)
I only like [name_f]Rowena[/name_f] pronounced that way. So yeah, I think it’s acceptable. You could also spell it Rowenna for better clarification.
When I saw it (I have never seen the name before) I thought ro-when-a. It seems like what most people would assume too! Also very pretty name!
I love [name_f]Rowena[/name_f] and I only like it pronounced that way too. I think it’d be fine and a lot of people would probably automatically say “ro-when-ah” anyway.
I would automatically say Row-EE-na but that doesn’t mean the alternative is unacceptable.
I’ve always pronounced [name_f]Rowena[/name_f] that way, so I think it’s totally fine! 
I probably wouldn’t. If you like [name_f]Rowena[/name_f], you should just go with [name_u]Rowen[/name_u], but that’s just my opinion
I think it’s acceptable (although I say row-EE-nah), but it might help to spell Rowenna maybe to avoid pronunciation issues?
I think that’s fine. I feel exactly the same way, and I decided to spell it Rowenna, but I’d say [name_f]Rowena[/name_f] pn. [name_f]Ro[/name_f]-WHEN-uh works okay.
Absolutely! I think ro-When-a is the usual way, I’ve never heard it the other way. Honestly I first heard this in [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Potter[/name_m], and in the films they say it like we do for [name_f]Rowena[/name_f] Ravenclaw. So for me that kind of set the cultural precedent for how to pronounce it.
I am on the fence about ro-WHEN-ah. [name_f]RO[/name_f]-when-ah, with the accent on the first syllable, sounds like the male name [name_u]Rowen[/name_u], which I find acceptable.
I like ro-WHEN-ah better than ro-WEEN-ah. So yeah, I think that pronunciation is fine. But I’d de concerned that people would pronounce my daughter’s name wrong all the time, and that she’d go through life correcting people’s pronunciation. It depends on where you live too, I guess.
Double the consanent. ! Rowenna, Roenna, Roinna, Rowinna. I would pronounce all of these roh-enna.
When I first read [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Potter[/name_m] I thought it was [name_f]Ro[/name_f]- when-ah. I actually liked it then.
I think most people will know it’s supposed to be Row-ee-nah and she’ll spend a lot of time correcting people honestly. I think most younger people who have never come across the name may think [name_f]Ro[/name_f]-when-ah but I don’t think it’d me the majority overall, so I’d be weary using it like you want to. It also depends I suppose on where you’re from as to how people will assume the name is pronounced.
Interesting fact I found out later, my step Aunt [name_f]Lynne[/name_f]'s name was [name_f]Rowena[/name_f] (Row-ee-nah) but she hated it so bad (being teased and such) taht they legally changed her name to her middle when she was just a kid.
I only discovered recently that it is commonly pronounced ro-EE-nuh. I’ve always pronounced it as a either ro-EH-nuh or [name_f]RO[/name_f]-eh-nuh, and I think that’s typical of the younger generation with all the [name_u]Rowan[/name_u]'s running about. Conversely, if I discuss the name with my grandmother she always says ro-EE-nuh.
I agree with PP’s -Double the consonant- Row-enna and its so much prettier than
Roh -eena. [name_f]IMO[/name_f].
I voted “other” because I’ve met one [name_f]Rowena[/name_f] and she pronounced it Row-ee-na and I am generally against using a non-standard pronunciation on a name (just feels like more trouble than it’s worth). BUT, I think [name_f]Ro[/name_f]-when-uh is very pretty. I would consider spelling it Rowenna to get there.
I prefer the spelling of Rowenna - it’s more natural spelled that way & less of a chance of correctly people every time they say the name.
The only [name_f]Rowena[/name_f] I’ve ever met says it [name_f]Ro[/name_f]-wenna. You could spell it either way. I think it sounds much prettier then [name_f]Ro[/name_f]-weena anyhow!