That said, I personally feel that Rose is more timeless than “Marie,” “Lynn,” or “Ann,” and believe that its romantic associations will keep it from being simply “boring.” Perhaps it will turn into the “Emily” of middle names- way overused but still pretty.

I have never come across a young Rosa. Come to think of it I have never come across any baby or young Mays either – there seems to be some names that are used over and over as firsts (Isabella and all of her derivatives, for instance – I know at least six) and those names used for MNs only.

I find overused first names more boring than the overused middle names. I have two middle names – and love that I do. So if you still adore Rose and wish to use it for whatever reason as a middle name, think about breaking it up with a second middle name.

I can say this as don’t have any children so haven’t made any of these mistakes. My sister has Margaret a family name as a middle name pasted on to all first born daughters of the first born woman in the family. My middle name will not be pasted on as it is horrible:- Gaye always wished it was Bertha instead as that was my great Aunt’s name and I was born on her birthday.