Owen versus Owain

longshotlove

Hello ladies! Hoping you can help me settle my last little naming hiccup. I'm having a boy in April. DH is Welsh. Now, I LOVE the name Owain...... when HE says it. It sounds lovely. However, when I've asked friends, coworkers, my parents, etc., how they would pronounce Owain, I get horribly butchered versions and terrible feedback on the name itself. I've resigned myself to the anglicized version- Owen. I don't hate it, I actually love it as well. I just get all swoony over Owain.

Question is, I suppose, is it better to go with Owen and keep him from a life time of corrections on his name/myself cringing over butchering/whatever other complications of having a name that isn't "easy"?

Just to add, should it matter , MN is Rhys.

pipeTsquared

Owain, Owain, Owain, Owain!!!

Can you tell what one I prefer ?

Seriously Owain is so much better than Owen. By miles and miles

Plus there are some great historic Owains

If Owain makes you swoon and Owen doesn't, then you have already made a decision don't try to talk yourself out of it


Wanted to add. I have a VERY welsh name. I use to live in South Africa people would pronounce it wrong, I'd correct them, they would say sorry and say it right. No problem. (it even happens here, it is that unusual, though people here often give it a go. And I have noticed it has got less since I have got older as Welsh proficiency has improved)

Spin313

I see it and want to say "Oh-Wayne." Stick with Owen.

[Deleted User]

I am partial to Owen as that is what we named our son, but that aside, both are beautiful and if you have a strong reaction to one over the other, go with it.

longshotlove

Thank you for all the kind responses, everyone!

Hmm.. perhaps just the nudge I needed

4N6s

How is it pronounced?
It looks like oh-Wayne to me too... Is that what you're going for?

I like Owen...

pipeTsquared

4N6s said:

How is it pronounced?
It looks like oh-Wayne to me too... Is that what you're going for?

I like Owen...

It is like OH-wine

Laurmi

I'm a fan of Owen. 

BananaLettuce

I like both. I wouldn't use Owain because I know no one would pronounce it the right way where I live (deep south). Although I'm still considering using the gaelic Eoin.

jr0310

longshotlove said:

Hello ladies! Hoping you can help me settle my last little naming hiccup. I'm having a boy in April. DH is Welsh. Now, I LOVE the name Owain...... when HE says it. It sounds lovely. However, when I've asked friends, coworkers, my parents, etc., how they would pronounce Owain, I get horribly butchered versions and terrible feedback on the name itself. I've resigned myself to the anglicized version- Owen. I don't hate it, I actually love it as well. I just get all swoony over Owain.

Question is, I suppose, is it better to go with Owen and keep him from a life time of corrections on his name/myself cringing over butchering/whatever other complications of having a name that isn't "easy"?

Just to add, should it matter , MN is Rhys.

Owen is a great name, however you spell it. Its my stepsons name and I love it

His 5 year old cousin was learning to write and she wrote Owwinn. So cute

blu-eyedwife

I love Owain.

But I had some pretty fantastic pregnancy dreams last time around about Owain Yeoman so I may be biased.

BeachBum678

I prefer Owen. Honestly, I don't really like Welsh, Gaelic, or Cornish names in general. But in your case, since there's a family connection through your DH, I could see you going with Owain.

nurse714

I like Owen better.