Roarke/Roark/Rourke

Firefly9

This isn't really on our list, but I mentioned it to DH once, and now he brings it up when we talk about names.  If we are going to add it to our list of serious potential names, I want a common spelling.  One appeal to the name is that my grandmother's maiden name was O'Rourke, so it's a "real" name and it honors my side of the family.  What do you think about the name and what spelling would you use?

I can't find the name on some baby name websites, but one meaning is "famous ruler" and another is "champion."

Moxie27

dislike. 

rourke.

Firefly9

Moxie27:

dislike. 

rourke.

To be honest, I'm not 100% sure how much I really like it either.  It's one of those names I mentioned once in passing, but DH got stuck on it.  Since he's bringing it up again, I want to at least reconsider.  For the rest of our names, they are common enough that plenty of people will like them (of course there will also be people who don't), but this one is so uncommon that I wanted to get a general feel for the name.  Thank you for your honest opinion!

Moxie27

you're welcome

Keri Marie

Roark is the way it's spelled in the Ayn Rand book.

Love it! 

Firefly9

Keri Marie:

Roark is the way it's spelled in the Ayn Rand book.

Love it! 

I haven't read The Fountainhead--was he a good character or a bad one? Gonna go find it now and read it (I work in a library)!

honkytonk_kid

I would like it more as a middle name.

Rourke. It's not common no matter how you spell it, so go with the family spelling.

lurkeyloo

I only like it as a middle name as well. I find it kind of awkward to pronounce, but I love the family meaning.

Keri Marie

MrsMcB926:

Keri Marie:

Roark is the way it's spelled in the Ayn Rand book.

Love it! 

I haven't read The Fountainhead--was he a good character or a bad one? Gonna go find it now and read it (I work in a library)!

Awesome book. I was an Architect/Drafter before I had kids and would often say "What would Roark do" when trying to solve a building issue. He was a great character.

CakeBatter

Keri Marie:

Roark is the way it's spelled in the Ayn Rand book.

Love it! 

This, but I stumble over the double "r" sounds when pronouncing it, so it sounds like I'm speaking with a mouthful of mush. Using it as a middle name would be a great way to avoid this problem.

NMH924

It really isn't the simple to say. I know how to pronounce it and it just doesn't roll off the tongue well at all.

Amanda&EricB

honkytonk_kid:

I would like it more as a middle name.

Rourke. It's not common no matter how you spell it, so go with the family spelling.

I agree with this. I'd go with the family spelling.

FWIW, I love this name!

robynlesley

Since I am a HUGE fan of J.D. Robb's "In Death" series (author Nora Robert's pseudonym) and the male protagonist is named ROARKE, I like it.

But go with the Roarke spelling. 

trebmal

I would go with Roarke but I think mn is best because this will be really hard for his classmates to pronounce when he starts school and honestly when I say it out loud to myself it doesn't just "roll", ya know?

Firefly9

Thanks for all the input!  It IS hard to pronounce, I think that's my biggest issue with it.  I like the way it looks, but it's hard to say.  We are still looking for middle names to go with some of our other favorites, maybe we'll use it that way instead.