Rosetta is an Italian name of Etruscan origin, derived from the word 'rothos', meaning 'dew'. It was popularized by the Rosetta Stone, a granodiorite stele inscribed with three versions of a decree issued at Memphis, Egypt in 196 BC on behalf of King Ptolemy V. Discovered in 1799 by French soldier Pierre-François Bouchard during Napoleon's Egyptian campaign, the stone played a pivotal role in deciphering ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. In literature, Rosetta was used as a character name in several works, notably by Italian author Giovanni Verga and American author Nathaniel Hawthorne. The name gained further popularity through the late 19th to early 20th century due to its use in literature and its association with the Rosetta Stone.
"The name Rosetta appears to have had a period of popularity around the early-to-mid 20th century, with most births occurring between 1917 and 1938."