See the results of this poll: Which name do you prefer?
Respondents: 117 (This poll is closed)
- Anders Benjamin : 72 (62%)
- Rowan Benjamin: 45 (38%)
Does [name]Rhys[/name] always go by [name]Rhys[/name]? Is there any change he might ever go by [name]Owen[/name]?
Because if there is, I would avoid [name]Rowan[/name]. Too rhymey-matchy.
The only time [name]Rhys[/name] is ever called [name]Rhys[/name] [name]Owen[/name] is when he’s doing something very troublesome. [name]Even[/name] then, it’s sometimes just a loud “[name]Rhys[/name]!!” None of his teachers or our relatives call him by his full name.
Personally, I MUCH prefer [name]Rowan[/name] [name]Benjamin[/name] – [name]Rowan[/name] is one of my all time favorite boys’ names and it has such a wonderful flow with [name]Benjamin[/name]. However, [name]Anders[/name] definitely seems to fit better with your other kids’ names, so I voted for that. But I do feel like [name]Anders[/name] [name]Benjamin[/name] doesn’t have a great flow. I don’t know if your first priority is flow or is sounding good with the siblings or just having a name you love. [name]Rowan[/name] doesn’t sound bad with [name]Heidi[/name] and [name]Rhys[/name] by any means, but [name]Anders[/name] has that same Nordic kind of feel to it that the other two have. I think it will just come down in the end to which one feels right for your son, which might mean waiting until he’s born and there’s nothing wrong with that! 
[name]Both[/name] are handsome, but I think [name]Heidi[/name], [name]Rhys[/name], and [name]Anders[/name] go together better. [name]Anders[/name] [name]Benjamin[/name] sounds nice; perhaps it doesn’t flow 100% smoothly, but [name]IMO[/name] [name]Rowan[/name] [name]Benjamin[/name] sharing the same -n sound makes them not the best rhythmically either. I find [name]Rhys[/name] [name]Owen[/name] (even though he doesn’t get called that frequently) and [name]Rowan[/name] too matchy, and prefer adding a new initial to the bunch rather than another R.
I much prefer [name]Rowan[/name]. Not a big fan of [name]Anders[/name]…although [name]Andy[/name] is a cute nickname.
I change my mind. I pick [name]Anders[/name]!! :). It fits better with the other kiddos!!
[name]Do[/name] you think it would be weird, in your opinion, to use [name]Anders[/name] if we’re not the least bit Scandinavian (with no traceable roots, either)?
Technically, [name]Rhys[/name] [name]Owen[/name] could be called [name]Rowan[/name]. Or [name]Rowen[/name] anyway. I know someone named [name]Joseph[/name] [name]Aaron[/name] who goes by [name]Jaron[/name], so it might be better to give this baby his own name. Plus [name]Anders[/name] is just SUCH a handsome name.
Not at all. It’s not like [name]Sven[/name] or [name]Olav[/name] or something like that. And I think you’ve made it easier and even less weird by naming your first two kids [name]Heidi[/name] and [name]Rhys[/name] which have that kind of feel to them as well, while still being recognizable (which is also the case with [name]Anders[/name]). If someone in, say, Minnesota can name their kid [name]Anderson[/name], someone else can certainly name their kid [name]Anders[/name] without catching flack. And actually, I think [name]Anders[/name] [name]Rowan[/name] sounds pretty great. 
I didn’t vote because I like them both. [name]Anders[/name] might fit a bit better, but I vaguely remember you saying how much you loved [name]Rowan[/name] in another thread. I say you go to the hospital with both names and see whether your little guy will give you any clues as to what he should be named!
I love [name]Anders[/name]. My husband vetoed it though. I think it sounds better with your other children’s names. And I think [name]Rowan[/name] is going to be stolen by the girls one day. Not sure how you feel about androgynous names, but I think [name]Rowan[/name] is one of them.
I love [name]Rowan[/name] but with siblings I prefer [name]Anders[/name].
[name]Anders[/name] has my vote and goes well nicely with [name]Heidi[/name] & [name]Rhys[/name]
Well, technically my older son’s name ([name]Rhys[/name]) is androgynous… at least when spoken.
[name]Anders[/name] because it is a handsome name and it is a perfect match with [name]Heidi[/name], and [name]Rhys[/name].
I think it is a good point that someone made when they said the it was possible to smoosh [name]Rhys[/name] [name]Owen[/name] to [name]Rowan[/name] so that enforces my feeling that [name]Anders[/name] is the name.
Not only that [name]Rowan[/name] is very popular as a girls name and if I was thinking of using [name]Rowan[/name] I would go with [name]Rohan[/name] or my favourite [name]Ronan[/name].
So another vote for [name]Anders[/name] and it doesn’t matter a jot if you have Scandinavian connections or not.
rollo
I prefer [name]Anders[/name] [name]Benjamin[/name].
I’m loving [name]Anders[/name]. It is very cool!
Isn’t anders a last name? maybe that’s how you do things on the other side of the pond though…
I voted [name]Anders[/name], partly because my name is [name]Rowan[/name] and it bothers me slightly to hear it as a boys name, but mostly because I think it fits fantastically with [name]Heidi[/name] and [name]Rhys[/name], I think [name]Andy[/name] is a great nn that ages well, and [name]Anders[/name] [name]Benjamin[/name] flows great.