Rosaleen is an Irish name, like many girls' names ending in -een. (This was originally -in in Gaelic.) It is a variant of the now unusual name Rosalyn or the medieval name Rosalin.
All these names derive from an old French name with Germanic roots. It comes from the Germanic words hros ("horse") and lind ("tender" or "soft.") It was quite a popular name among the Normans, who brought it to Britain in the 11th century.
In the Middle Ages the name Rosalind was taken to mean "lovely rose" from the Latin rosa linda. It is probably because of this interpretation that the name remained so popular; for instance, it is the name of the heroine of Shakespeare's play "As You Like It."
As well as Rosaleen, there are several other forms including Rosaline. The popularity of the name Rosaleen in Ireland may be connected with its similarity to the Gaelic name Roisin, pronounced roe-SHEEN, which means "rose."
All these names derive from an old French name with Germanic roots. It comes from the Germanic words hros ("horse") and lind ("tender" or "soft.") It was quite a popular name among the Normans, who brought it to Britain in the 11th century.
In the Middle Ages the name Rosalind was taken to mean "lovely rose" from the Latin rosa linda. It is probably because of this interpretation that the name remained so popular; for instance, it is the name of the heroine of Shakespeare's play "As You Like It."
As well as Rosaleen, there are several other forms including Rosaline. The popularity of the name Rosaleen in Ireland may be connected with its similarity to the Gaelic name Roisin, pronounced roe-SHEEN, which means "rose."
