In the UK, Rosebuds were renamed Brownies in 1915.
Rosebuds were established in 1914 as the youngest section of the British Girl Guides movement. The name was unpopular with many of the girls, so Lord Baden-Powell changed it to Brownies the next year. The new name drew on Juliana Horatia Ewing’s children’s story “The Brownies,” which portrayed helpful children taking responsibility for their work.
This date is easy to confuse with 1914, the year Rosebuds began, or 1918, when Lady Olave Baden-Powell assumed responsibility for the Girl Guides and Brownies. It is also separate from the later development of Brownie programmes in other countries.
In the United Kingdom, Brownies became the junior section for girls too young to be Guides. Their activities developed around teamwork, practical skills, service, and imaginative ceremonies. The section remains part of Girlguiding, although its programme, age range, badges, and terminology have changed substantially since the Edwardian era.