Rosalind

• Origin: Old German
• Meaning: “gentle horse.”
• Gender: Female
• Eng pron: RAHZ-ə-lind(American English) RAWZ-ə-lind(British English)
• Diminutive: Roz, Rozzie, Rosa, Rosie, Lindy

Rosalind is an Old German name derived from the elements hros, meaning “horse,” and lind, meaning “soft” or “gentle.” The name was brought to England by the Normans whearas in Spain it was introduced via the Visigoths. In the Middle Ages, it later became associated with the Latin expression rosa linda, meaning “beautiful rose,” which influenced its spelling and interpretation.

The name was later popularized in literature by the English poet Edmund Spenser, who used Rosalind as the name of the lady-love in his poem The Shepeards Calender (1571) and by William Shakespeare, who bestowed the name upon the heroine of his comedy As You Like It (1599). 19th-century writers, Thackery and Trollope used the name for their main characters.

In the United States, Rosalind ranked among the Top 1,000 Most Popular Female Names from 1889 to 1978. It reached its highest position in 1950, at #321, when 572 girls were given the name.

Roselyn and Roselynn are sometimes listed as variants of Rosalind, though in modern English they may also be interpreted as combinations of Rose and the popular name element –lyn/-lynn.

Rosaline and Roseline are likewise frequently grouped with Rosalind, but their histories are more complicated and may reflect a separate development influenced by Rosa/Rose rather than being simple variants of Rosalind.

Other forms include:

• Rosalinda (Czech, Italian, Spanish)
• Rosalinde (German)
• Roslindis (Old German)
• Rozalinda (Hungarian, Polish, — rare)
• Rodalinde (Lombard)

Rare male Italian forms include Rosolindo and Rozolindo.

Notable bearers include American actress, Rosalind Russell (1907-1976), and British literary guardian and only child of Agatha Christie, Rosalind Prichard Hicks (1919-2005).

Sources

• https://www.behindthename.com/name/rosalind
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosalind_(given_name)
• https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosalinda_(jm%C3%A9no)
• https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosalind_(Vorname)
• https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosalinda
• https://appellationmountain.net/rosalind-baby-name-of-the-day/