UK girl's name
Rosetta
A feminine name of Latin 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.
Rosetta is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Rosetta popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3695, with 6 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2013, with 12 births.
This profile covers 169 England and Wales registrations across 25 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, 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 50% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 168 living people in the UK are called Rosetta. 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
- • Rosetta ranked #3695 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 6 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2013, when 12 girls were registered as Rosetta.
- • About 168 living people in the UK are estimated to have Rosetta as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3695
2024
Births in 2024
6
Latest year
Peak year
2013
12 births
Estimated living
168
2026
Meaning
What does Rosetta mean?
The name Rosetta originates from the Italian language and is a diminutive form of the name Rosa, meaning "rose" in Italian. Its origins can be traced back to the 13th century when it was first used in Italy. The name is believed to have been derived from the Latin word "rosa," which in turn came from the Greek word "rhodon," meaning "rose."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rosetta appears in Dante Alighieri's epic poem, "The Divine Comedy," written in the early 14th century. In the poem, Dante mentions a character named Rosetta, which suggests that the name was already in use during that time period.
Historically, the name Rosetta has been associated with several notable figures. One of the most famous is Rosetta Stone, an Egyptian hieroglyphic stele discovered in 1799 near the town of Rosetta (now Rashid) in the Nile Delta region of Egypt. The stone, which dates back to 196 BC, provided the key to deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs, and its discovery is considered a significant milestone in the study of Egyptology.
Another notable figure with the name Rosetta is Rosetta Tharpe, an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist who was a pioneer of rock and roll music. Born in 1915 and often referred to as "The Godmother of Rock and Roll," Tharpe was a influential figure in the development of early rock and roll music.
In the field of literature, Rosetta Loy was an Italian novelist and essayist who was born in 1931 and passed away in 2022. Her works explored themes of identity, memory, and the intersection of personal and historical narratives.
Rosetta Reitz, born in 1923 and died in 2008, was a German-American journalist and author who wrote extensively about her experiences during World War II and the Holocaust. Her memoir, "The Upstairs Room," published in 1972, recounts her family's efforts to hide from the Nazis in a secret room above a factory in the Netherlands.
Lastly, Rosetta Gagliardi, born in 1892 and died in 1971, was an Italian contralto opera singer who performed in many of the major opera houses around the world during the early 20th century. She was particularly renowned for her interpretations of roles in operas by composers such as Verdi and Puccini.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Rosetta over time
The chart below shows babies named Rosetta 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 Rosetta, the clearest high point is 2013. The latest England and Wales figure is 6 births in 2024, compared with 12 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rosetta by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Rosetta 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 | #3601 | 35 | 5 |
| 2010s | #3237 | 70 | 9 |
| 2000s | #3226 | 45 | 7 |
| 1990s | #3060 | 19 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Rosetta
- Ruby 60,551
- Rebecca 45,764
- Rosie 35,558
- Rachel 19,034
- Rose 18,043
- Robyn 14,556
- Rosa 6,236
- Rhiannon 6,180
- Rachael 4,702
- Rebekah 4,395
- Rhianna 4,177
- Ruth 4,118
FAQ
Rosetta: questions and answers
How popular is the name Rosetta in the UK right now?
In 2024, Rosetta was ranked #3695 for girls in England and Wales, with 6 births registered.
When was Rosetta most popular?
The peak year on record was 2013, with 12 babies registered as Rosetta in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Rosetta?
A feminine name of Latin origin meaning "little rose".
How many people are called Rosetta in the UK?
A total of 169 babies have been registered as Rosetta across the 25 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
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.