Azucena
A girl's name of Spanish origin with 3,741 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
A surname from Spanish.
Azucena is a girl's baby name of Arabic origin via Spanish, from the Arabic as-susana meaning 'lily' or 'white lily' — carried into Spanish through Moorish Iberia, where it became both a plant name and a beloved given name.
Azucena is the passionate gypsy protagonist of Verdi's opera Il Trovatore (1853) — giving the name a dramatic operatic history alongside its floral beauty. Widely used across Mexico and Latin America, it's a name of extraordinary elegance.
EtymologyShow more
Azucena is built from 7 letters and four syllables — a mid-length form that balances memorability with distinctiveness. Within the Spanish naming tradition, this length is typical of names that preserve their full historical form, carrying their etymology on the surface.
The interplay of consonants and vowels in Azucena creates its characteristic open, warm quality. Multi-syllable names often carry remnants of compound constructions — two or more meaningful elements fused together — even when the original components are no longer transparent to modern speakers.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Azucena was #1645 twenty years ago and has since drifted to #3447, but its charm endures.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 190 | #3963 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 558 | #3143 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 1,330 | #1604 | ▲ |
| 1990s | 878 | #1724 | ▲ |
| 1980s | 416 | #2458 | ▲ |
| 1970s | 258 | #3305 | ▲ |
| 1960s | 62 | #5120 | ▲ |
| 1950s | 18 | #5381 | ▲ |
| 1940s | 16 | #4571 | ▲ |
| 1930s | 5 | #4479 | — |
| 1920s | 5 | #4785 | — |
| 1910s | 5 | #4663 | — |
The Story of Azucena
A Gen Z name
Peaking in 2001, Azucena is a name that defines a generation. Girls named Azucena are most likely born between 1991 and 2011.
How rare is Azucena?
Only about 1 in every 80,000 babies born in 2024 was named Azucena — a truly uncommon choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1917, gained momentum through the mid-century, peaked in the 2000s with 1,330 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Azucena by the numbers
- Would fill 78 school buses
- Meeting one Azucena per day would take 10.2 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(72 years, 1917–2024)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 45 | #3447 |
| 2023 | 40 | #3772 |
| 2022 | 34 | #4215 |
| 2021 | 26 | #4979 |
| 2020 | 45 | #3403 |
| 2019 | 32 | #4355 |
| 2018 | 43 | #3570 |
| 2017 | 50 | #3200 |
| 2016 | 45 | #3468 |
| 2015 | 48 | #3355 |
| 2014 | 56 | #3008 |
| 2013 | 62 | #2772 |
| 2012 | 56 | #3010 |
| 2011 | 64 | #2730 |
| 2010 | 102 | #1958 |
| 2009 | 93 | #2152 |
| 2008 | 151 | #1532 |
| 2007 | 134 | #1653 |
| 2006 | 117 | #1774 |
| 2005 | 116 | #1708 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Azucena a boy's or girl's name?
When was Azucena most popular?
How popular is the name Azucena?
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Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1917–2024