Rosaire

This name derives from the Latin “Rŏsārĭus > Rŏsārĭum,” meaning “rosary, a wreath of roses,” which is the symbol of the prayer of the Hail Mary (shortened from María (del) Rosario), a Roman Catholic epithet of the Virgin Mary as “Our Lady of the Rosary.” The origin of “rosa” is still quite uncertain today. The theories include: 1) From the Latin “rŏsa,” associated with the word for the fragrant flower “rose.” Etymologically, the word derives from the Greek ródon (ρόδον), maybe from “roe osme (ροή οσμή),” meaning “flux of smell.” The name is linked to a Proto Indo-European root “*wrdho,” meaning “thorn (referring to a flower with thorns).” 2) However, it is not excluded that may be born from “Roza,” a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element “*hrōþiz” (praise, fame, glory, renown, honor) such as Rosalind and Roswitha.