Forgotten for more than 80 years, an old grandmother’s first name is once again climbing in the statistics of the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (Insee). It saw nearly 740 births around 1903, fell to around 45 per year around 1950, then reached 225 little girls in 2025. Retro, flowery and still rare, this first name ticks all the boxes of the
trend 2026.
This first name is
first name Rosalie. Its popularity has increased by around 29% in ten years, while remaining far from the most given first names. A balance sought by parents who want an identifiable choice, but not carried by the whole class.
Popularity of the first name Rosalie: a very real return
The files of theINSEE show that Rosalie was one of the most common female first names at the beginning of the 20th century, before almost disappearing from the registers. According to CePrenom.fr, this bell curve is clear: record around 740 births around 1903, then a long plateau at 40 or 50 babies per year between the 1950s and 1980s.
Since the 2010s, Rosalie has slowly returned to French maternity wards. There will be 225 births in 2025, an increase of 29% over ten years. For INSEE, this rise remains moderate compared to star first names, which places Rosalie in the category of rare but visible first names, typical of this wave of
retro first names and flowery first names.
Why Rosalie appeals to so many parents in 2026
For many families, Rosalie ticks the right boxes: a retro name, but not dusty, and a flowery name without being too sweet. Specialists describe these old first names as so-called “heritage” first names. According to the “100-year rule”, a first name becomes attractive again when no one in the immediate family no longer uses it on a daily basis.
This floral side also appeals to parents who like Rose or Iris, but are looking for a slightly longer and more melodious version. Rosalie has three syllables, simple writing, no ambiguity of pronunciation. Many use it as a first name, others as a retro chic second name to soften a more modern choice, while keeping a rare first name. In fact, there are very few homonyms left in the same class.
Origin and history of the first name Rosalie
The first name Rosalie comes from the Latin “rosalia” or “rosalis”, a term which refers to the rose festivals in Roman Antiquity. The first name immediately evokes roses, gardens, a very visual sweetness which often reassures parents. This Latin origin also gives Rosalie a discreet international side, easy to understand abroad without losing her French charm.
Let us also recall the link with Saint Rosalie of Palermo, a young woman secluded in the Middle Ages in a cave on Monte Pellegrino. She is celebrated on September 4, the date chosen for Rosalie’s birthday. For certain families, this patronage gives the first name an additional protective dimension, in addition to its delicate and flowery image.