Rossetta
A feminine name derived from the Italian word for a small rose.
Name Census estimates that about 12 living Americans carry the first name Rossetta. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Rossetta today is around 74 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rossetta births was 1923 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rossetta. 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.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Rossetta is about 74 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Rossettas were born before 1962.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Rossetta. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
12
~ 1 in 28,562,862 Americans
Peak year
1923
8 babies that year
Average age
74
years old
1967 SSA rank
#7,610
Tracked since 1917
Popularity
Rossetta: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Rossetta from the 1910s through to the 1960s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 23 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rossetta 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 Rossetta during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Rossetta
The name Rossetta has its origins in the Italian language and culture. It is a feminine name derived from the Italian word "rosa," meaning "rose." The name likely emerged during the Middle Ages or Renaissance period in Italy, when flower names became increasingly popular for children.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rossetta can be found in the 14th century work "Il Decamerone" by the Italian author Giovanni Boccaccio. In this collection of novellas, one of the characters is named Rossetta, indicating the name's usage during that era.
The name Rossetta gained further prominence in the 16th century when it was borne by Rossetta Ferrucci, an Italian poet and author who lived from 1535 to 1585. Her literary works, including sonnets and madrigals, helped to popularize the name across Italy.
Another notable figure was Rossetta Piccolomini, an Italian noblewoman who lived from 1592 to 1651. She was a member of the influential Piccolomini family and played a significant role in the cultural life of Siena during the 17th century.
In the 18th century, Rossetta Agresta (1677-1767) was an Italian painter and engraver from Naples. She is known for her religious and mythological works, as well as her engravings of architectural subjects.
Moving into the 19th century, Rossetta Venezze (1825-1900) was an Italian operatic soprano who performed in various operas across Europe. She was particularly acclaimed for her performances in the works of Verdi and Donizetti.
Throughout its history, the name Rossetta has maintained a strong connection to its Italian roots. While it has been adopted in other cultures and languages, its origins can be traced back to the rose-inspired Italian tradition of naming children after flowers and plants.
People
Rossetta + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rossetta 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
Rossetta: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rossetta?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 12 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rossetta 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 28,562,862 US residents.
Is Rossetta a common name?
We classify Rossetta as "Very Rare". It ranks above 32.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 62 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rossetta most popular?
The single biggest year for Rossetta was 1923, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rossetta is about 74 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Rossetta in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Rossetta a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Rossetta 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.
Is Rossetta still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Rossetta in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Rossetta can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Rossetta as a first name?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people share the name Rossetta at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.