NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Roisin

A feminine given name of Irish origin meaning "little rose".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Roisin is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Roisin popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #934, with 38 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1997, with 158 births.

This profile covers 2,142 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 24% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 3,199 living people in the UK are called Roisin. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Roisin ranked #934 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 38 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1997, when 158 girls were registered as Roisin.
  • Roisin ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #288 in 2024.
  • About 3,199 living people in the UK are estimated to have Roisin as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#934

2024

Births in 2024

38

Latest year

Peak year

1997

158 births

Estimated living

3,199

2026

Meaning

What does Roisin mean?

The name Roisin originates from the Irish language and is derived from the Gaelic word "ros", meaning a rose or a rose tree. It has also been spelled as Róisín, Róisíne, Rosheen, or Rosheen. The name is believed to have been first used in Ireland during the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century.

The name Roisin is associated with the Irish Catholic tradition and has been found in several ancient Irish texts and manuscripts. One of the earliest recorded references to the name is in a 16th-century Irish poem, where it is used as a personification of Ireland itself, symbolizing the country's beauty and resilience.

One of the most notable historical figures named Roisin was Roisin Dubh (Róisín Dubh), also known as the "Black Rose," who lived in the late 16th century. She was a celebrated Irish noblewoman and the subject of many traditional Irish songs and poems, which often portrayed her as a symbol of Irish nationalism and resistance against English rule.

Another historical figure with the name Roisin was Roisin Oge Ni Cheallaigh (Róisín Óge Ní Cheallaigh), who lived in the 17th century and was a renowned Irish poet and composer. Her works, which were largely written in the Irish language, celebrated the beauty of nature and the Irish way of life.

In the 18th century, Roisin Bán (Róisín Bán), a famous Irish harper and composer, was known for her skillful playing of the Irish harp and her contributions to the preservation of traditional Irish music.

During the Irish Renaissance of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the name Roisin gained popularity among Irish nationalists and writers. One notable figure from this period was Roisin Ni Mhathuna (Róisín Ní Mhathúna), born in 1895, who was a prominent Irish language activist and educator. She played a significant role in promoting the use and teaching of the Irish language in Ireland.

Throughout history, the name Roisin has been associated with Irish culture, tradition, and nationalism, often representing the beauty, resilience, and spirit of Ireland itself. It continues to be a popular name among Irish families, serving as a link to their heritage and cultural identity.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Roisin over time

The chart below shows babies named Roisin registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Roisin, the clearest high point is 1997. The latest England and Wales figure is 38 births in 2024, compared with 158 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Roisin
04079119158199620102024

Decades

Roisin by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Roisin was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #913 195 5
2010s #752 528 10
2000s #423 888 10
1990s #282 531 4

Geography

Where Roisin is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Roisin. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Roisin ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #288 in 2024.

Northern Ireland
5
Scotland
5

Across the UK

Roisin in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#541 in 2024

47 years of NRS records, 662 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#288 in 2024

27 years of NISRA records, 417 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Roisin

  • Roisin Donnelly

    chief marketing officer; school governor

    British marketing executive

    1961-

  • Roisin McCann

Related

Names similar to Roisin

FAQ

Roisin: questions and answers

How popular is the name Roisin in the UK right now?

In 2024, Roisin was ranked #934 for girls in England and Wales, with 38 births registered.

When was Roisin most popular?

The peak year on record was 1997, with 158 babies registered as Roisin in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Roisin?

A feminine given name of Irish origin meaning "little rose".

How many people are called Roisin in the UK?

A total of 2,142 babies have been registered as Roisin across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 662 more in Scotland and 417 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Roisin most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Roisin ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #288 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.