[name_m]Hence[/name_m] my screen name, my daughter is named [name_u]Rowan[/name_u]. It is a beautiful name [name_f]IMO[/name_f] for a girl. However anyone who suggests [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] for a girl on a forum will undoubtedly have someone say something along the lines of “[name_u]Rowan[/name_u] is a boy name, how about [name_f]Rowena[/name_f]”. [name_m]HOW[/name_m] [name_f]DO[/name_f] YOU [name_m]EVEN[/name_m] PRONOUNCE THAT!!! It has become one of my biggest pet peeves!
First of all, it is a gender neutral name point blank. Nameberry places it as the top GENDER NEUTRAL boys name and the second top GENDER NEUTRAL girls name. Meaning it is an acceptable name for a girl, or a boy. End of story!
People have their own opinions regarding baby names and I respect that. Gender neutral names are not for everyone. However if an expecting mother is talking about naming her child a gender neutral name, regardless of the gender of the child, it is very nervy for one to come out with “that’s a boy name” or “that’s a girl name”. That parent does not care. If a parent is looking for suggestions for a middle name for, lets say, [name_u]Rowan[/name_u], she will have likely told the reader that she is expecting a girl, or a boy. There is no need to reply with anything other than suitable middle names for said [name_u]Rowan[/name_u]. “Why don’t you consider [name_f]Rowena[/name_f]” is not a suitable answer and your list of middle names that sound good with [name_f]Rowena[/name_f] are moot.
So, unless the parent is asking a question such as “Does such and such a name make you think of a girl or a boy” back off the gender neutral names. If you don’t like them, don’t comment. People love them regardless of your comments and ideas.
Personally, [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] is all girl to me. In fact, it is one of my choices when it comes to naming a second daughter. I cannot stand the name [name_f]Rowena[/name_f], and I, too, hate when people suggest this and other names that clearly aren’t the style the poster is going for.
Firstly, [name_f]Rowena[/name_f] is ‘roh-EE-na’. Secondly… wow…
Um…OK?
If you’re comfortable and confident in your choices then you wouldn’t get upset over opposing opinions. [name_m]How[/name_m] hard is it to say ‘We’re not interested in ____’ and move on?
First of all, Nameberry is not the be all, end all. My top gender neutral choice is [name_f]Greer[/name_f] yet Nameberry only lists it as a girl name. Does that mean it’s unacceptable for a boy? [name_f]Greer[/name_f], which comes from [name_m]Gregor[/name_m]? Nameberry is very biased and many gender neutral names are not even acknowledged as acceptable choices for boy names. And when they do acknowledge these names the descriptions often discourage their usage on boys while gushing about how great they are for girls.
Well said 
If you post on a naming site, people are going to have strong opinions about names. If you aren’t prepared to hear differing opinions, then don’t post.
I kinda get what you’re saying about the style of names. It is frustrating to see someone suggest [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] and [name_f]Poet[/name_f] a list of [name_f]Kristin[/name_f], [name_f]Rachel[/name_f] and [name_f]Amy[/name_f]. Though [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] and [name_f]Rowena[/name_f] have similar letters, they are far apart in styles I agree.
People have strong opinions on the gender neutral names, so I usually try to avoid posts about them. You love your daughter’s name, it’s not a teasable name. That’s all that matters.
I like [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] on a boy. It’s soft and handsome.
I like [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] on a girl. It’s sleek and beautiful.
I also like [name_f]Rowena[/name_f] on a girl. It’s quite pretty to my ears.
If I met a little girl whose full name was [name_f]Rowena[/name_f] but she went by [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] I would be delighted. If I met a little girl named [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] I would not automatically assume her name was short for [name_f]Rowena[/name_f]. You aren’t required to like both names, but I don’t think a suggestion here or there is that big of a deal. Especially if it’s not directed at you. [name_f]Remember[/name_f], someone less into names than you may not even know of the existance of [name_f]Rowena[/name_f] so chances are if they like [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] they may like that as well. It never hurts to offer suggestions.
Anywho, your daughter’s name is lovely. [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] is perfectly acceptable for a girl and [name_f]Kate[/name_f] is also one of my favorites. =]
I like [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] on a boy. It’s soft and handsome.
I like [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] on a girl. It’s sleek and beautiful.
I also like [name_f]Rowena[/name_f] on a girl. It’s quite pretty to my ears.
If I met a little girl whose full name was [name_f]Rowena[/name_f] but she went by [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] I would be delighted. If I met a little girl named [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] I would not automatically assume her name was short for [name_f]Rowena[/name_f]. You certainly aren’t required to like both names, but I don’t think an alternate suggestion here or there is that big of a deal. Especially if it’s not directed at you. [name_f]Remember[/name_f], someone less into names than you may not even know of the existance of [name_f]Rowena[/name_f] so chances are if they like [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] they may like that as well. It never hurts to offer just in case someone finds it to their liking.
Anywho, your daughter’s name is lovely. [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] is perfectly acceptable for a girl and [name_f]Kate[/name_f] is also one of my favorites. =]
Why does it matter if you’ve already named her?
I agree with this.
This is a discussion forum for names not a place to get validation. If you post asking for people’s opinions, people are going to give their opinions whether it’s what you want to hear or not. If you don’t want honesty, what’s the point in asking for feedback?
To me, [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] is a boys name, as I only know boys who have it. However, if you or any other parent considers it to be the name they want to call their daughter then great! That’s your choice as a parent and it works for you 
That’s the way opinion works.
[name_f]Rowena[/name_f] is said: Row-ee-na and has most recently been used in [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Potter[/name_m] (possibly by a different spelling).
To me, [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] is a boys name, as I only know boys who have it. However, if you or any other parent considers it to be the name they want to call their daughter then great! That’s your choice as a parent and it works for you That’s the way opinion works.
[name_f]Rowena[/name_f] is said: Row-ee-na and has most recently been used in [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Potter[/name_m] (possibly by a different spelling).
Except that Nameberry is often very US centric, and some of the names the site considers gender-neutral are really not in other countries.
For example, someone called [name_u]Ashley[/name_u] in the UK they could be either a girl or a boy. Nobody would bat an eyelash. Whereas, in the US, [name_u]Ashley[/name_u] is very much considered a girl’s name. Therefore its worth bearing in mind that a name like [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] might well still be considered a masculine name wherever the poster is from, so they are likely to point this out because it’s only normal to draw on your own experiences. Personally I’ve only met male [name_u]Rowan[/name_u]'s, so I don’t consider it a gender neutral name based on my experiences. It’s very dependent on where you’re from.
I agree it can be frustrating when posters are not taking someone’s personal preferences and styles into account when offering naming suggestions but, if you don’t want diverse opinions, don’t post on a public forum.
[name_u]Rowan[/name_u] is legitimately unisex, but I happen to prefer it for a boy. That said, I think someone needs to take a break from the Internet…
I kind of understand OP’s frustration but disagree with the way they expressed it. A name forum is meant for opinions not just validation, and clearly not everyone has the same taste in names so not everyone is going to like the names you like. That being said, I do find it a tad ridiculous the number of posters who like to scoff at unisex names and claim exaggerations of how it will “scar” your child or is “awful” and whatnot when there are plenty of well adjusted people with unisex names.
Additionally, I agree that it is frustrating for people to look at someone’s list of names and make suggestions that are completely not in line with the style of the poster. If someone’s posting a thread about unisex names or extremely out there names, clearly they aren’t interested in [name_f]Catherine[/name_f] or [name_m]Michael[/name_m].
When I start asking for opinions on names for my future children, I hope people are as brutally honest as possible. I want to know exactly what my child has in store for them, in regards to their name. They’re the ones who have to deal with it, not me. The world is very big, and people have lots of opinions they love to share with everyone. If you think people don’t say things about names in real life, you’re wrong. Dig through the forums and read some of the horror stories people have shared about people getting nasty comments about their names. It happens! Wouldn’t you rather be prepared? I would. Bury your head in the sand, and pretend everyone shares your opinion or is too polite to say otherwise if you want, but that’s not reality.
As for [name_f]Rowena[/name_f] vs [name_u]Rowan[/name_u]… they’re so similar I can’t understand how you have issues with it. This is your biggest pet peeve??
If your child has a unisex name, she is going to have people tell her she has a boys’ name. She is going to be mistaken for someone of the opposite sex from time to time. People are going to ask, “[name_f]Rowena[/name_f]?” when your daughter says, “[name_u]Rowan[/name_u].” It’s going to happen to her; maybe often, maybe rarely, depending on what part of the world she settle down in. Big deal. There are much worse things she’s going to have to experience in life.
Firstly, I’ve heard [name_f]Rowena[/name_f] pronounced Row-ee-nah and [name_u]Rowan[/name_u]-ah, so yeah I can see why people suggest it as an alternative to [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] because the latter pronunciation is almost the exact same sound.
Also, I have to agree with the poster who said if you were comfortable with your name choices, opposing opinions wouldn’t bother you so much.
What you need to learn is that people posting on this forum come from a wide variety of backgrounds and are going to be influenced by that. I have never met a girl [name_u]Rowan[/name_u], and I live in an area where unisex/boy names on girls is a very popular trend. I’ve met a handful of female Elliots and Emersons and Ryans and even a [name_m]Michael[/name_m], but every [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] I’ve met has been male. So in my mind? [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] is a boy’s name. And my opinion on that matters for two reasons: firstly because it is being asked for on forums like this. And secondly because a child is going to go through life with that name and if the general consensus is that the name someone wants to give them is decidedly male, there’s a large probability that they will be told their name is a boy’s name, or that they’ll accidentally be assigned a locker in the boys gym room, or that someone in the office at their school will ask over the intercom whether the kid’s teacher can send “him” down to the office (all things that happened to my unisex-named little sister as a kid.) Which isn’t to say that a parent can’t name their kid that if they so choose, but any wise parent would, I think, be interested in exactly what they’re setting their kid up for. And if they decide their kid can handle that, good on them I guess.
Lol
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