Several well-known roses carry the names of monarchs, musicians, chefs, artists and rose-garden specialists. These six examples are all roses—not six different flower species—and some have a formal cultivar name that differs from the name shoppers see on a label.
Why a rose can have more than one name
In horticulture, a cultivar is a cultivated plant selected for particular characteristics and given a name. A rose may also be promoted under a trade or exhibition name, which is often more familiar to the public. For example, the cultivar ‘MEIzeli’ is known as The McCartney Rose, while ‘AUSsorts’ is marketed as MARY DELANY.
The distinction matters when looking up a plant: use the name shown on the nursery label, and check whether it is the cultivar denomination or a public-facing name.
Six roses named for notable people
Queen Elizabeth: a coronation tribute
Rosa ‘Queen Elizabeth’ was named to honor Queen Elizabeth II’s 1953 coronation, according to the Chicago Botanic Garden. The garden says the rose’s unusual beauty prompted the creation of a new grandiflora category for it.
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The McCartney Rose: a birthday dedication
The formal cultivar denomination is ‘MEIzeli’; The McCartney Rose is its exhibition name. The Chicago Botanic Garden says Alain Meilland introduced it in 1992, and that it was dedicated to former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney as a birthday gift from record executives in 1993. Chicago Botanic Garden
Prince Charles: a name with a caveat
The Royal Horticultural Society describes Rosa ‘Prince Charles’ as a Bourbon rose introduced in 1842. It says the rose was “presumably” named for the future Edward VII, who became Prince of Wales in 1841; the connection is not certain. The RHS describes its flowers as cherry-red with scarlet streaks and lists the rose as still offered for sale. Royal Horticultural Society
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Julia Child: butter-yellow blooms and a chef’s name
Santa Fe Botanical Garden identifies the cultivar as WEKvossutono and its trademark name as Julia Child™. Hybridizer Tom Carruth named it for chef Julia Child, whose fondness for butter and aromatic herbs resonated with the rose’s buttery-yellow flowers and licorice aroma. The garden describes the flowers as double and clustered. Its notes about full sun and good drainage apply to the garden’s Santa Fe setting, not necessarily to every climate. Santa Fe Botanical Garden
Peter’s Joy: a rose-garden tribute
Royal Botanical Gardens named this floribunda rose for Peter Kukielski, former curator of the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden and a consultant on the redesign of the RBG garden. The garden describes clusters of veined peach-pink flowers that age to apricot, with fruity, citrus, lemon and licorice notes in the fragrance. It says the rose was evaluated over seven years and planted at the garden in October 2020. Royal Botanical Gardens
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Mary Delany: an artist and gardener remembered
The cultivar denomination is Rosa ‘AUSsorts’; MARY DELANY is its current trade designation. Royal Botanical Gardens curator Alex Henderson says the rose was first marketed as Mortimer Sackler when introduced in 2002. David Austin Roses announced the change to Mary Delany in 2022. The new namesake was Mary Delany (1700–1788), an English artist, gardener and writer. Royal Botanical Gardens
Where to find more people-named roses
The Huntington’s Rose Garden collection includes more than 2,500 individual rose plants and more than 1,300 cultivated varieties, according to the institution’s collection information accessed in 2026. Its list includes roses named for Barbra Streisand, George Burns, Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe, Chihuly, Elizabeth Taylor, Carol Burnett and Freddie Mercury. The list demonstrates how common the practice is, but does not explain the naming history of each rose. The Huntington
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For a specific plant, search a nursery or garden collection by both its familiar name and its cultivar denomination where known. Availability and naming can vary by seller and location, so confirm the plant identity before buying.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why a new royal rose may take time
Plant names can lag behind public events. RHS Chief Horticulturist Guy Barter noted, “Clearly there has not been time yet for plant breeders and nursery people to have named plants ‘King Charles’.” The RHS explains that woody plants such as roses can take at least 10 years to breed into a new cultivar. Royal Horticultural Society
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