See the results of this poll: Too close?
Respondents: 80 (This poll is closed)
- No : 23 (29%)
- Yes: 57 (71%)
It’s too close for comfort for me personally, but I wouldn’t mind it on someone else’s children. If I met siblings named [name]Elowen[/name] and [name]Rowan[/name] I would probably raise my eyebrows, but I wouldn’t think it was really terrible. I don’t think it’s close enough that you’d get mixed up- the first sounds are really distinct and the syllable count is different.
I think it would be a fine sibset. Where I see trouble is if you ever have a 3rd daughter. If her name was very different, it might be weird to have one that “doesn’t go.” IDK, that may just be me! 
I think it’s a bit close. Too bad, [name]Elowen[/name] is very cute!
I’m still not sure if my sudden love for the name is clouding my judgement or what. It sounds different to me, but I can see how others would think they are way too close. Those damn W’s!
@tintri, we are only having 2 children anyway, so that won’t be an issue!
Honestly, although [name]Elowen[/name] is beautiful, it’s too close to [name]Rowan[/name] for comfort. If you like nicknames, you can use one for [name]Elowen[/name] of the girls. For example, Lo and [name]Rowan[/name] or [name]Winnie[/name] and [name]Rowan[/name] are just fine for siblings.
I think [name]Rowan[/name] and [name]Elowen[/name] would be smashing together! If you were planning on having more children it would be painting yourself into a corner, but you’re not, so who cares? Besides, they last syllable is pronounced differently: ro-UHN and eh-LOH-en. I like the (rather subtle) tree connection as well.
I don’t think they’re too close, I think they’d make a great sibset! They are different enough in pronunciation that I don’t think you would have a lot of mix ups or confusion, and the tree meanings are a subtle but sweet connection.
They’re close but it works.
It definitely seems like more people are saying Yes than No…
@ottilie, I worry that because you are English, you might enunciate the names more clearly than Americans would. People have a habit of syllables running into each other and almost slurring the name, especially in the South.
I guess it’s probably not a good idea… I see too much confusion happening.
rge- I have just spent the last minute of my life saying [name]Elowen[/name] and [name]Rowan[/name] every way I can think of… yelling, really fast, slowly, etc. So now that my fiancé thinks I am INSANE, I will say that I don’t think they would cause too much confusion. Other than you and your husband, how many people will say their names together?
I like it. I don’t mind matchiness in siblings. [name]Elowen[/name] FEELS like a sibling to [name]Rowan[/name]… does that make sense?
I don’t think they’re too close. [name]Elowen[/name] is very lovely!
Okay. [name]Elowen[/name] = Cornish word name. It’s supposed to be pronounced el-OWE-un or el-[name]LEW[/name]-un, more commonly the first one, though I’m hearing it’s pronounced [name]EL[/name]-oh-wen everywhere now 
There is no ‘when’ sound at the end, so, to me, [name]Rowan[/name] and [name]Elowen[/name] sound near-identical. You could take off the ‘R’ and the ‘[name]El[/name]’, swap them around and they’d still sound the same. I like the subtle tree connection, but I think they’re way too close for siblings. Middle name, perhaps?