Ruža is a name meaning 'rose' in several South Slavic languages, including Croatian, Serbian, and Macedonian. It is a cognate of the Latin name Rosa 1, which derives from the Latin word for 'rose'. In Macedonian, the name is also written as Ruza and is considered an alternate form of the word for 'rose'.The name Ruža is closely related to the feminine name Ružica, a diminutive form used in Serbian and Croatian, and Rozalija, the Macedonian and Slovene form of Rosalia. The Latin source name Rosa has been used widely across Europe since the Middle Ages, often associated with the flower's symbolic meanings of love and beauty. A notable bearer is the 13th-century Saint Rose of Viterbo, and in modern times, the American civil rights activist Rosa Parks.Notable BearersSaint Rose of Viterbo (13th century) – Italian saint venerated in the Catholic Church.Rosa Luxemburg (1871–1919) – Polish-German Marxist revolutionary and economist.Rosa Parks (1913–2005) – American civil rights activist known for her role in the Montgomery bus boycott.Meaning: Derived from the rose flower, symbolizing love and beauty.Origin: Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian; from Latin rosa.Type: Direct name from a vocabulary word.Usage Regions: Balkans, especially Croatia, Serbia, and Macedonia.