Rosemary Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity
Rosemary is predominantly used for girls. The statistics below show this exact spelling in official U.S. records.
How Do You Spell Rosemary?
Rosemary is spelled R-O-S-E-M-A-R-Y. The name has 8 letters.
Rosemary at a Glance
- Usage
- Predominantly used for girls
- Meaning
- Rosemary combines the names of the flower “rose” and the herb “rosemary.”
- Origin
- Rosemary is commonly understood as an English name composed of the floral and botanical elements “rose” and “mary.”
- Pronunciation
- ROHZ-muh-ree · 3 syllables
Rosemary Popularity in 2025
Rank#251
Recorded Births1,222
- Girls usage rose 50 places to #251 and recorded 174 more births compared with 2024.
Figures reflect this exact spelling in the latest available U.S. Social Security Administration records. See the complete year-by-year trend.
What Does the Name Rosemary Mean?
Rosemary combines the names of the flower “rose” and the herb “rosemary.”
Origin: Rosemary is commonly understood as an English name composed of the floral and botanical elements “rose” and “mary.”
How Do You Pronounce Rosemary?
PronunciationROHZ-muh-ree
Syllables3
What Is the History of the Name Rosemary?
- History
- The usage of Rosemary as a given name has been recorded in English-speaking contexts since at least the early modern period. It may have been inspired by the herb rosemary's cultural associations.
Rosemary Popularity by Year
The table below shows the most recent available records for this exact spelling from 2002 through 2025. Use the full history page to explore every recorded year.
| Year | Usage Category | Recorded Births | National Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Girls | 1,222 | #251 |
| 2024 | Girls | 1,048 | #301 |
| 2023 | Girls | 995 | #310 |
| 2022 | Girls | 873 | #364 |
| 2021 | Girls | 846 | #363 |
| 2020 | Girls | 698 | #442 |
| 2019 | Girls | 771 | #402 |
| 2018 | Girls | 699 | #452 |
| 2017 | Girls | 699 | #453 |
| 2016 | Girls | 740 | #436 |
| 2015 | Girls | 607 | #517 |
| 2014 | Girls | 537 | #570 |
| 2013 | Girls | 563 | #531 |
| 2012 | Girls | 479 | #600 |
| 2011 | Girls | 439 | #651 |
| 2010 | Girls | 396 | #712 |
| 2009 | Girls | 404 | #716 |
| 2008 | Girls | 398 | #746 |
| 2007 | Girls | 406 | #720 |
| 2006 | Girls | 411 | #686 |
| 2005 | Girls | 362 | #745 |
| 2004 | Girls | 376 | #712 |
| 2003 | Girls | 403 | #658 |
| 2002 | Girls | 403 | #632 |
When Was Rosemary Most Popular?
Peak years are based on the highest recorded birth totals for this exact spelling and usage category. They are ordered by birth count, not chronologically.
1947 · Girls
4,542 recorded births
National rank #80
1946 · Girls
4,486 recorded births
National rank #74
1948 · Girls
3,870 recorded births
National rank #90
1949 · Girls
3,633 recorded births
National rank #98
Where Rosemary Ranked Highest in 2025
State rankings are calculated separately for girls and boys within each state. The SSA omits state-level names recorded fewer than five times, so low visible counts can still represent a relatively high state rank.
Top States for Girls
| State | Rank | Recorded Births |
|---|---|---|
| AK | #70 | 8 |
| DC | #119 | 6 |
| HI | #136 | 6 |
| SD | #139 | 8 |
| AL | #146 | 30 |
| NH | #149 | 8 |
| MN | #150 | 36 |
| ME | #153 | 7 |