Rosamund

Meaning of Rosamund

Rosamund is a feminine anthroponym of Old High German derivation—hros (‘horse’) combined with mund (‘protection’)—which, under medieval Anglo-Norman influence, underwent a folk-etymological realignment with the Latin rosa munda (‘pure rose’), thereby uniting Germanic and Romance naming traditions within the Anglo-American onomastic continuum. Its phonemic realization diverges across three principal language systems: /ˈroːzaˌmuːnt/ in German, /ʁɔ.za.mœ̃/ in French and /ˈroʊzəmʌnd/ in standard English, each variant distinguished by specific vocalic qualities and stress patterns. Empirical data from the U.S. Social Security Administration reveal that, although Rosamund has never achieved mainstream prevalence, it has maintained a consistent, low-frequency presence since at least the early 1950s—peaking at rank 698 with five recorded occurrences in 1951 and subsequently oscillating between ranks 925 and 959 over the past decade (e.g. 14 newborns in 2024 at rank 936; 19 in 2023 at rank 939; 18 in 2022 at rank 926)—thereby underscoring its enduring, measured appeal among a select cohort of anglophone parents.