Primrose

Girl name

Primrose has been given to 1,033 babies in the U.S. since 1914. It peaked in 2021.

Meaning & origin

The surname derives from a place name in Fife, Scotland; Watson (1926) derived this from Pictish/Proto-Brythonic *prenn (“wood, tree”) + *rros (“moor, heath”). Taylor instead argued for Scottish Gaelic prím (“first”) + ros (“promontory”). Changed by folk etymology because of phonetic resemblance to primrose. The given name is one of the 19th-century flower names.

Origin: English

Names that mean flower

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Popularity over time births per year, 1880–2025

Hover or tap the chart to read any year.

Total babies

1,033

Peak year

2021 (93 babies)

Rank in 2025

Below top 1000

First recorded

1914

10-year trend

▲ +35%

Gender split

All girls

Names with a similar vibe

Same primary gender, peaked around the same years, and roughly as common as Primrose.

1,033 babies since 1994

1,032 babies since 1993

1,035 babies since 2002

1,036 babies since 1996

1,036 babies since 1999

1,030 babies since 1972

1,030 babies since 1996

1,037 babies since 2012

FAQ

How popular is the name Primrose?

Primrose has been given to 1,033 babies in the U.S. since 1914. It ranked below the top 1000 in 2025.

When did the name Primrose peak?

Primrose peaked in 2021, when 93 babies were given the name.

Is Primrose a girl or boy name?

Primrose is primarily a girl name (100% of babies named Primrose are girls).

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