Given name & surname · also Germanic
Rose
“horse”·“fame”
Rose is an English name with a familiar floral association and a more complex medieval background.
Original GreekΡόουζ
Meaning & origin
What it means
The rose flower is one clear association. Proposed Germanic roots include words for “horse” or “fame,” so one explanation need not cover every historical use.
Where it comes from
Its flower association connects it with Latin rosa. Some medieval uses may instead continue shortened Germanic names.
How it developed
The name may combine several histories: the flower word, its religious symbolism, and shortened Germanic compounds. It can also serve as a short form of longer Ros- names.
The story
Rose was used in the Middle Ages, with the Latinized form Rohesia appearing in medieval documents.
Rose through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 502,704
- 2,118 boys · 500,586 girls
- Most popular year
- 1917
- 9,821 babies
- 2025
- 2,386
- #114 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +3%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 2,386 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 114 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 2.7% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 9,783 in 1917. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (249). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 196,309 as a first name in 2020; 149,763 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Rose’s family of names
Rose has an affectionate form in Rosie. In German usage, Rose developed from the Latin form Rosa. In English usage, Rose has a related form in Ross.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Rose has relatives in 26 languages. Lines run from its Ancient Greek roots to each of them.
34 related names in 26 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 60
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Rosiediminutive · English
- Rosavariant · English, German
- Rossvariant · English
- Rosellavariant
- Roisindiminutive · English
- Rosettavariant
- Rositavariant
- Rosydiminutive · Spanish, English
Show 52 moreShow fewer
- Roseydiminutive · English
- Rosinavariant
- Rozavariant
- Rosaleendiminutive · English
- Rosettevariant
- Rosellevariant
- Rousevariant · English
- Roystonvariant
- Roselvariant · German
- Rhodiavariant
- Rozinavariant
- Rozellavariant
- Rozevariant
- Rosiovariant
- Rosinevariant
- Rosheenvariant
- Rosenevariant
- Rosenavariant
- Rasiavariant
- Rosinvariant · English
- Roslvariant · German
- Roeservariant · German
- Röslevariant · German
- Rozyukavariant
- Rozeenavariant
- Ruusuvariant · Finnish
- Russuvariant
- Rosvariant
- Roisvariant
- Rhosynvariant
- Rohaisvariant
- Roesiavariant
- Rosaevariant
- Roseevariant
- Rosayvariant
- Rosaivariant
- Ruzsavariant
- Ruzhavariant
- Ruzenkavariant
- Ruzenavariant
- Ruzavariant
- Rozyvariant
- Rozsikavariant
- Rozsivariant
- Rozsavariant
- Rozenevariant
- Rozelevariant
- Rosenahvariant
- Rasyavariant
- Rasjavariant
- Rasinevariant
- Röschendiminutive · German
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 23
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 5
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Rose
- Rose of LimaDominican saint from Peru1586–1617
- Rose ByrneAustralian actressborn 1979
- Rose McGowanAmerican actress, director and activistborn 1973
- Rose LeslieScottish actress (born 1987)
- Diane LaddAmerican actress (1935–2025)
- Rose Francine RogombéGabonese politician (1942-2015)
- Rose MarieAmerican actress, singer, comedian, and vaudeville performer (1923–2017)
- Rose Christiane RapondaVice President of Gabon in 2023born 1963
- Joan BlondellAmerican actress (1906–1979)
Characters named Rose: Rose Tyler (Doctor Who), Rose Tico (Star Wars), Rose Nadler (the TV series "Lost"), Rose DeWitt Bukater (protagonist of the movie Titanic).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Rose, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Alice
“noble” · “kind”
>99% girls
Margaret
“resembling a pearl” · “the child of light”
>99% girls
Blanche
“beautiful”
>99% girls
Adele
“of the nobility; serene; of good humor”
>99% girls
Dora
“gift”
>99% girls
Lena
“the shining light” · “the favored one”
>99% girls
Helen
“the shining light”
>99% girls
Ione
“resembling the violet flower”
>99% girls