Roselind
A feminine name of English origin meaning "beautiful rose".
Name Census estimates that about 225 living Americans carry the first name Roselind. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Roselind today is around 59 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Roselind births was 1940 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Roselind. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
225
~ 1 in 1,523,353 Americans
Peak year
1940
12 babies that year
Average age
59
years old
2020 SSA rank
#17,040
Tracked since 1913
Popularity
Roselind: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Roselind from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 11 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 83 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Roselind by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Roselind during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Roselinds live
Origin
Meaning and history of Roselind
The name Roselind is a feminine given name of English origin, derived from the combination of the Germanic elements "hros" meaning "horse" and "lind" meaning "tender" or "soft." It emerged as a variant of the more common name Rosalind during the Middle Ages.
In its earliest known usage, the name Roselind appeared in various medieval English records, often referring to individuals of noble or knightly status. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Lady Roselind de Vere, a noblewoman who lived in the 13th century and was a member of the prominent de Vere family of Essex, England.
The name Roselind gained further literary prominence in the 16th century when it was used by William Shakespeare in his famous pastoral comedy "As You Like It." In the play, Rosalind is the central female character, a witty and intelligent young woman who disguises herself as a man to escape persecution. This literary reference contributed to the name's enduring popularity and association with intelligence and strength of character.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Roselind. One such figure was Roselind Kydd (1563-1610), a Scottish woman who was accused of witchcraft during the North Berwick witch trials in the late 16th century. Despite being subjected to torture, she maintained her innocence and was eventually released.
Another prominent bearer of the name was Roselind Naden (1773-1860), a British botanist and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of lichens and mosses. She was one of the first female members of the prestigious Linnean Society of London, a testament to her scientific accomplishments in a field dominated by men at the time.
In the 19th century, Roselind Lilian Owen (1862-1950) was a Welsh artist and illustrator renowned for her intricate book illustrations and portraits. Her work graced numerous publications, including editions of works by renowned authors such as Robert Browning and Thomas Hardy.
The name Roselind has also been associated with figures in the performing arts, such as Roselind Russell (1907-1976), an American actress best known for her role as Auntie Mame in the 1958 film of the same name. Her versatile performances in both comedic and dramatic roles earned her widespread critical acclaim and several Academy Award nominations.
While less common in modern times, the name Roselind continues to evoke a sense of grace, intelligence, and literary heritage, reflecting its rich historical and cultural significance.
People
Roselind + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Roselind as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Roselind: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Roselind?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 225 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Roselind going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,523,353 US residents.
Is Roselind a common name?
We classify Roselind as "Very Rare". It ranks above 75.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 402 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Roselind most popular?
The single biggest year for Roselind was 1940, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Roselind is about 59 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Roselind a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Roselind in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.