It is a late Latin name derived from rosa, meaning "rose".

Variants are Rosa, Rosario, Rosie, Rosalba, Rosalie, Rosalia, Rosina, Rosaria, Rosalyn and Rosalina.

Rose was originally a Norman form of a German name Hrodheid, composed of the words Hrod ("fame") and Heid ("kind", "type").

[1] It was used in England, Italy, and France throughout the Middle Ages,[2] and its popularity increased during the 19th century while still regarded as being a flower name.

The name of the flower has the etymology of Old English rōse from the Latin rosa; phonetically linked to the Greek rhódon, which is independent of the etymology of the surname Rose.