Rosemary
A combination of Rose + Mary, referring to the flower as a symbol of Virgin Mary, first recorded in the eighteenth century.
Every Rosemary since 1882 — 163,523 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Rosemary
Rosemary is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #251 in 2025 with 1,222 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1882, 163,523 American babies have been named Rosemary. Its peak came in 1947, when 4,542 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1940s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Rosemary stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Rosemary year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,222 | #251 | — | — |
| 2024 | 1,048 | #301 | — | — |
| 2023 | 995 | #310 | — | — |
| 2022 | 873 | #365 | — | — |
| 2021 | 846 | #363 | — | — |
| 2020 | 698 | #442 | — | — |
| 2019 | 771 | #404 | — | — |
| 2018 | 699 | #453 | — | — |
| 2017 | 699 | #453 | — | — |
| 2016 | 740 | #436 | — | — |
| 2015 | 607 | #517 | — | — |
| 2014 | 537 | #570 | — | — |
| 2013 | 563 | #531 | — | — |
| 2012 | 479 | #601 | — | — |
| 2011 | 439 | #651 | — | — |
| 2010 | 396 | #714 | — | — |
| 2009 | 404 | #717 | — | — |
| 2008 | 398 | #746 | — | — |
| 2007 | 406 | #721 | — | — |
| 2006 | 411 | #689 | — | — |
| 2005 | 362 | #745 | — | — |
| 2004 | 376 | #712 | — | — |
| 2003 | 403 | #661 | — | — |
| 2002 | 403 | #634 | — | — |
| 2001 | 401 | #624 | — | — |
| 2000 | 397 | #631 | — | — |
| 1995 | 403 | #571 | — | — |
| 1990 | 472 | #509 | 5 | #9,240 |
| 1985 | 512 | #431 | — | — |
| 1980 | 576 | #395 | — | — |
| 1975 | 534 | #384 | — | — |
| 1970 | 797 | #331 | — | — |
| 1965 | 1,276 | #241 | 8 | #3,197 |
| 1960 | 2,192 | #181 | — | — |
| 1955 | 2,015 | #171 | 5 | #4,304 |
| 1950 | 3,455 | #101 | 7 | #3,272 |
| 1945 | 3,500 | #79 | 5 | #3,700 |
| 1940 | 2,874 | #85 | 10 | #2,452 |
| 1935 | 2,394 | #97 | 7 | #3,206 |
| 1930 | 3,151 | #82 | — | — |
| 1925 | 2,755 | #103 | 5 | #4,768 |
| 1920 | 1,713 | #141 | — | — |
| 1915 | 820 | #201 | — | — |
| 1910 | 141 | #329 | — | — |
| 1905 | 64 | #424 | — | — |
| 1900 | 40 | #539 | — | — |
| 1895 | 23 | #656 | — | — |
| 1890 | 16 | #689 | — | — |
| 1885 | 5 | #1,176 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Rosemary
- Rosemary Kennedy Celebrity · 1918–2005
- Rosemary Harris Actor · b. 1927
- Rosemary Clooney Singer · 1928–2002
- Rosemary Sutcliff Writer · 1920–1992
- Rosemary Murphy Actor · 1925–2014
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Rosemary mean?
A combination of Rose + Mary, referring to the flower as a symbol of Virgin Mary, first recorded in the eighteenth century.
How popular is the name Rosemary in 2025?
Rosemary ranked #251 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 1,222 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Rosemary?
163,523 babies have been named Rosemary in the United States since 1882, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Rosemary most popular?
Rosemary peaked in 1947, when 4,542 newborns received the name.
Is Rosemary a boy or girl name?
Rosemary is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Rosemary rising or falling?
Rosemary is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Rosemary?
Well-known people named Rosemary include Rosemary Kennedy (celebrity), Rosemary Harris (actor), Rosemary Clooney (singer).