Rowan

Little red one; also the rowan tree.

Rowan has two routes into use as a given name. It is an English form of Irish Ruadhán, whose red meaning is softened by a diminutive ending: “little red one”. It can also come from the English word for the rowan tree. These are distinct explanations, so the Irish name does not literally mean “rowan tree”. The tree gives Rowan a particularly vivid natural association: white flower clusters and red berries in autumn. If that image appeals to you, Rowan offers a woodland name without a long or elaborate shape. Its gentle quality comes through in the rounded opening vowel and the quieter final syllable. In English, Rowan is pronounced /ˈɹoʊ.ən/, with two syllables and stress on the first; the opening rhymes with “go”. Ruadhán is the related Irish form, with its own pronunciation, not simply Rowan written with an accent. Rowan is used for both boys and girls in English-language contexts. Neither the tree association nor the Irish derivation needs to be reserved for one gender. For a second name, a crisp consonant opening can give a little contrast after Rowan’s soft ending; that is a matter of rhythm and taste.

Etymology: An English form of Irish Ruadhán, a diminutive of ruadh, “red”. Rowan can also be chosen from the English name of the tree.