Meaning: Its source is an English expression meaning "Rose."

Popularity: The name Rosalva ranked 1768th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Though this name appears on the 1990 U.S. Census lists, it is used by only a small percentage of the general population.

Narrative: Though this name is identical to the name of a flower, which is derived from the Latin term rosa, some authorities believe the similarity is a coincidence.

If they are correct, one of two Old English words gave rise to this name: either hros, meaning ''horse,'' or hrod, meaning ''fame.'' In support of these theories they point to Rosalind, which was derived from the first, and Rowena, which was derived from the second.

Whatever its ultimate source, there is no doubt that in modern times the name is given to baby girls with the flower in mind.