girl's name
Rosa
ROH-za
- Origin Latin
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 4
- Popularity Top 100 (E&W)
- Births on record 206,535
the United States
#652
2025 births
Rosa is a girl's name of Latin origin meaning "rose." It is the Latin word for the flower and the standard form of Rose across Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and German use.
- Rosa is a name of Latin origin.
- Peaked in US records in 1925, when 2,245 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade in US records.
- Today about 1 in 1,121 babies in England and Wales is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Rosa over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. Rosa is more popular in England and Wales — see the country table below. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 6,162 |
| 1890s | 7,904 |
| 1900s | 9,318 |
| 1910s | 16,064 |
| 1920s | 20,957 |
| 1930s | 16,221 |
| 1940s | 16,920 |
| 1950s | 19,994 |
| 1960s | 15,142 |
| 1970s | 12,401 |
| 1980s | 10,939 |
| 1990s | 11,167 |
| 2000s | 8,016 |
| 2010s | 4,654 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 2,729 |
What Rosa means
Rosa means rose. It is the plain Latin noun rather than a compound or a derived form, which makes it one of the most directly transparent names in common use.
Where Rosa comes from
Rosa is the Latin rosa, the flower, borrowed in turn from Greek and probably from an Iranian source further back. It served as the continental European form of Rose and as a saint's name through Rosa of Lima, canonised in 1671 as the first saint of the Americas. Its most significant modern bearer is Rosa Parks, whose refusal to move seat in Montgomery in 1955 began the bus boycott. The name also anchors a family of compounds — Rosalind, Rosamund and Rosalie — though those have separate Germanic roots and only look related.
Rosa in use
Our data shows Rosa stable, peaking in 1925, at 96 in England and Wales against 652 in the United States. It first appears in our records in 1880 and has never left them — an unbroken run of a century and a half, which is rarer than a peak followed by a revival.
How popular is Rosa?
In 2025, Rosa was given to 470 babies in England and Wales, ranking #96 that year. It is one of the most popular names in England and Wales.
Where Rosa is used
England and Wales figures withhold any name given to fewer than three babies in a year. The historical chart above uses US records, the only series running back to 1880. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Rosa
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Rosa also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Rosa over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
2 nicknames for Rosa
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Rosa in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Rosa
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Rosa — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Rosa
What does the name Rosa mean?
Rosa means "rose" — it is the plain Latin word for the flower.
Are Rosa and Rose the same name?
Yes. Rosa is the Latin and continental European form; Rose is the English one.
Is Rosalind related to Rosa?
Only in appearance. Rosalind, Rosamund and Rosalie have Germanic roots and were reinterpreted as rose names later.
How popular is the name Rosa?
In 2025, Rosa was given to 470 babies in England and Wales, ranking #96 that year. It is one of the most popular names in England and Wales.
Is Rosa a girl's or a boy's name?
Rosa is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Rosa?
Rosa has 2 syllables.
When was Rosa most popular?
Rosa peaked in 1925, when 2,245 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Rosa?
Rosa is usually shortened to Rosie and Ro.
Is Rosa a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Rosa currently ranks #76 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.