Rosalina derives from the Latin rosa, “rose,” paired with the diminutive suffix –lina, so its literal sense is “little rose.” The form gained currency in both Spanish and Italian, where the consonant differs slightly—/s/ in Spanish, /z/ in Italian—before settling into English as roh-zuh-LEE-nuh. U.S. birth data confirm a low but persistent presence across the past century, followed by a gentle upswing: from only 66 registrations in 2010 to 368 in 2024, positioning the name at rank 600 and suggesting modest, data-driven momentum rather than a fleeting spike. Associations range from Shakespeare’s Rosalind (spelling drift was common in Early Modern English) to Nintendo’s galaxy-gliding princess, giving parents both a literary footnote and a pop-culture icebreaker. Phonologically, its four-syllable, vowel-rich structure fits contemporary tastes, while the rose imagery supplies classic botanical charm. Cross-linguistic portability is an added bonus—speakers of English, Spanish, and Italian pronounce the name with minor, predictable shifts, so playground introductions and passport checks alike remain uncomplicated.
| Vietnamese American jewelry designer Rosalina Tran Lydster co-designed the Miss Universe 2008 crown. | 
| Rosalina Berazaín Iturralde is a Cuban botanist who co-founded the National Botanic Garden of Cuba and has plant species named in her honor. |