Gender: Feminine (in Spanish and Portuguese but masculine in Italian)
Origin: Spanish/Portuguese/Italian
Meaning: “rosary.”

In Spanish and Portuguese the name has always been a strictly feminine name. It comes directly from the word for the rosary, prayer beads used in Catholic tradition and is usually used in reference to Our Lady of the Rosary.

In Italian the feminine form is Rosaria while Rosario is strictly masculine.

Currently, Rosario is the 83rd most popular female name in Chile, (2010).

Other forms of the name include:

• Roser (Catalan)
• Marie-Rosaire (French)
• Maria Rosaria (Italian)
• Rosaria (Italian)
• Rosarietta (Italian)
• Rosarina (Italian)
• Saria (Italian)
• Maria do Rosário (Portuguese)
• Rosário (Portuguese)
• Maria del Rosario (Spanish)

A common Spanish diminutive is Charo.

Masculine forms include:

• Rosaire (French)
• Rosario (Italian)

It is borne by actress Rosario Dawson.