MEANING & HISTORY
What does Rosemary mean?
Rosemary has two documented naming routes: a combination of Rose and Mary, and reference to the herb rosemary. The herb’s Latin source ros marinus means dew of the sea.
That botanical etymology does not automatically translate the personal-name combination Rose and Mary. Both histories may contribute to the modern name, but a particular family’s intended route needs context.
References for this explanation
Pronunciation & syllables
Synthetic voice reading
Tagalog
- /ˌɾowsˈmeɾi/
- [ˌɾoʊ̯sˈmɛː.ɾɪ]
Rose · ma · ry3 written divisions
Dictionary reading & contributors ↗Wiktionary / Kaikki / Wiktextract · CC BY-SA 4.0
Origin and name formation
Dictionary accounts by language
Tagalog
Borrowed from English Rosemary.
a female given name from English
Wiktionary: Rosemary (Tagalog) ↗ · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
English
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".
A female given name from Latin.
Wiktionary: Rosemary (English) ↗ · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
Wiktionary contributors via Kaikki/Wiktextract; common glosses translated for Filipino.
Related forms & spellings
Similar names to Rosemary
Explore names with a similar opening or ending.
Names in this collection
- Rosemarie♀Rose joined with Marie
- Romar·Norwegian Rodmar form: fame and famous elements
- Rosela♀Rose-based name documented in Renaissance literature
- Mary♀English form of Maria, from Hebrew Miryam
- Robert♂Bright fame
- Roela♀Roel with the feminine ending -a
- Roger♂Famous spear
- Roma♀Rome, from the Latin and Italian city name
What rhymes with Rosemary?
Dictionary rhyme matches for the readings shown.