Comments for the name Rowena

I have heard it pronounced ro-WEN-a or ro-WENN-a.

Rowena is the name of the Saxon princess whom Ivanhoe falls in love with in Sir Walter Scott's classic novel.

In JK Rowling's Harry Potter novels, Rowena Ravenclaw is one of the four founders of Hogwarts. Traditionally Ravenclaw students are marked by their intelligence.

Rowena in the Arthurian legends was the wife of King Vortigern. She was always said to be very beautiful and intelligent and defended her people when he sought them out to kill them.

Often used as a feminine form of Rowan, although the names have no connection.

Rowena isn't a bad name at all, kind of pretty. I pronounce it ro-WEE-na.

Well this is my name, I love it, whenever people ask my name their response is always 'oh how lovely and rare'! It's fantastic!

I would pronounce it more like Row-EEN-a than Ro-WEE-na.

In Edgar Allan Poe's short story "Ligea", Rowena is the blond-haired, blue-eyed second wife of the narrator. That's where I encountered the name the first time, actually.

I think most people on this website are American. Am I right? I guess that's why nobody has commented on the fact that the name includes the word 'wee' . Which is really quite off-putting especially if you're English.

We Americans use that word too (usually redoubled, as is often the case with you, in my experience).

Just what word do you use for the first person plural nominative pronoun. Does the word "we" put you off too?

I love this name because it's uncommon and it sounds mysterious.

I like Rowena. If I get a daughter I will probably name her Rowena, and call her Rowan/Rowen. I think it's a tough name, and still very feminine.

In the Barbie in Fairytopia and Barbie in Mermaidia, Rowena was an evil person trying to poison everybody so they would bow down to her.

Also in Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses, there is the king's evil cousin named Rowena. Her title is Dutchess Rowena. The king can't handle his daughters so he calls Rowena for help. Rowena takes fun of the king's daughters. Rowena also poisons the king so everyone will bow down to her.

Rowena is a beautiful name, but everyone is using it for someone evil. I really like the name Rowena.

I always thought it was pronounced row-EN-nah. Ro-WEE-nah sounds really silly.

This name reminds me of Evil, Despair, Digression, and bad things happening. That's just me though.

Wow. Well that's depressing. I personally love this name; I like many names that start with "R" (excluding Rachel). Like a previous user said, it sounds beautiful and mysterious, and, yes, a little dark as well. But still pretty.

English-born (in 1947) Australian actress Rowena Wallace.

I think this name is wonderful, I think it's really nice and feminine. Yes, a really nice name, one that would suit any age. :)

Rowena's beautiful! So much nicer and prettier than Rowan, in my opinion. It's gorgeous.

So the name 'Rowena' was chosen by my mother, who was reading Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe at the time. If you're thinking of naming you daughter this, consider these points carefully:

1. For much of highschool, my nickname was Weiner, or Weinder-dog. Charming.

2. It has the word 'Wee' in it.

3. My current nickname is 'Ravenclaw' from the Harry Potter novels.

4. People always spell it wrong.

If you still like the sound of the name, perhaps change the spelling, or just use a different nickname. I got 'Rena' which I didn't mind.

This name is really lovely, and I love the Ravenclaw connection. If I ever use this for a daughter, though, I might spell it Rowenna, so it would be pronounced ro-EN-na, which I find a bit more appealing.

Nennius apparently names the daughter of Hengest as Romwenna. At this level however the genealogies are much later fabrications (giving Saxon pedigrees to families which were originally British), and the only known Rom- names of the era are clear adaptations of Romanus and Romulus. E.A. Freeman (A History of the Norman Conquest) describes Geoffrey of Monmouth's "Rowena" as "a later absurdity".