The first name Rosemary
A girl’s name from Latin meaning “dew of the sea”.
Pronounced /ˈɹoʊzˌmɛəɹi/ 3 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
Latin origin
Rosemary means “dew of the sea” in Latin.
A combination of Rose + Mary, referring to the flower as a symbol of Virgin Mary, first recorded in the eighteenth century. It is found in continental Europe as Rosemarie and Rosa Maria. After mid-nineteenth century when flower names became common it may also refer to the herb rosemary, Latin ros marinus "dew of the sea".
More names that mean sea.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 81 girls were named Rosemary, making it the 490th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 144 births (#260).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Rosemary with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Rosemary at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 1,222 girls born in the United States were named Rosemary, the 251st most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1947, when 4,542 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Rosemary in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Rosemary in Polish too.
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Rosemary
29 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Rosemary ClooneyAmerican singer and actress (1928–2002)
- Rosemary HarrisBritish actress, born 1927
- Rosemary MurphyGerman-American actress (1925–2014)
- Rosemary Radford RuetherAmerican theologian (1936–2022)
- Rosemary SutcliffEnglish novelist (1920–1992)
- Rosemary DeCampAmerican actress (1910–2001)
- Rosemary LeachBritish actress (1935–2017)
- Rosemary ForsythAmerican actress, born 1943
- Rosemary DunsmoreCanadian actress, born 1952
- Rosemary ThebyActress (1892-1973)
- Rosemary WestBritish serial killer, born 1953
- Rosemary PopaAustralian and American rower, born 1991
More Latin girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Rosemary mean?
- Rosemary means “dew of the sea” in Latin.
- What is the origin of the name Rosemary?
- A combination of Rose + Mary, referring to the flower as a symbol of Virgin Mary, first recorded in the eighteenth century. It is found in continental Europe as Rosemarie and Rosa Maria. After mid-nineteenth century when flower names became common it may also refer to the herb rosemary, Latin ros…
- How popular is the name Rosemary?
- In 2025, 81 girls born in England and Wales were named Rosemary, ranking 490th. Its peak was 1996, with 144 births.
- What are nicknames for Rosemary?
- Common nicknames for Rosemary include Rosie.
- Is Rosemary a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 163,523 US babies named Rosemary since 1880 were girls.
- When was Rosemary most popular?
- 1947 in the United States, when 4,542 babies were named Rosemary, its highest rank at 80th.
- How do you pronounce Rosemary?
- Rosemary is /ˈɹoʊzˌmɛəɹi/, 3 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Rosemary?
- Rosemarie.