Entry № 0317 · Greek origin

Azalea Azalea — Meaning, Origin & Baby Name Popularity

/ ah-ZAY-lee-ah /
Gender
Girl
Origin
Greek
Meaning
"Dry / the azalea flower (Iggy Azalea; ornamental shrub)"
Syllables
4
Rank · US 2025
№ 320
First recorded
Modern (English)

A name that means "dry / the azalea flower (iggy azalea; ornamental shrub)".

Azalea is from the Greek azaleos (dry) — the botanical name for the genus of flowering shrubs in the rhododendron family, famous for their spring blooms in pink, white, red, and purple. **Native to Asia, Europe, and North America; cultivated in Western gardens since the 17th century; the Indica azalea (introduced 1808) is the floral emblem of São Paulo, Brazil**. **A top-1000 US baby name since 2012**. **Iggy Azalea (born Amethyst Amelia Kelly, 1990)** — **Australian rapper; her 2014 single "Fancy" featuring Charli XCX reached #1 on the *Billboard* Hot 100 for seven consecutive weeks; she became the second rapper in history (after the Beatles) to have her first two singles chart in the top two of the Hot 100 simultaneously**. **First Australian solo female to top the *Billboard* Hot 100; *The New Classic* (2014) debuted #3 on the *Billboard* 200**. **Four Grammy nominations (2015) including Record of the Year for "Fancy"**. **The Augusta Masters Tournament's 13th hole is named "Azalea"** — among the most-photographed holes in golf because of the 1,600+ azalea plants surrounding it. **Azalea Banks** is *Azealia Banks* (different spelling). **Azalea Trail Maids** — youth ambassador group in Mobile, Alabama since 1929 known for their pastel hoop-skirt costumes.

Featured throughout 21st-century pop music and Southern American culture.

Dry / azalea flower. Iggy Azalea's "Fancy" topped the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks (2014).

The name in its native script.

Azalea
Transliteration
Azalea
Pronunciation
/ əˈzeɪ.li.ə /
Root
Grammatical form

Where Azalea stands.

Current rank · 2025
№ 320 in the U.S.
All-time peak
№ 320 in 2024
Babies named Azalea · last year
980 in the U.S.
First entered SSA top-1000
2012
Rank, 1995–2025 Lower = more popular
№25 №75 №150 №250 1995 2005 2015 2020 2025 PEAK · #320 NOW · #320

Azaleas before her.

Real people
Iggy Azalea
Australian rapper.
born 1990
In fiction
Azalea
Various Southern American culture.

Names connected to Azalea.

The number behind Azalea.

5

The Free Spirit

Azalea reduces to five — the number of Iggy's first Billboard #1.

Why families chose this name.

"Iggy's bloom. Six letters. Azalea."
Catherine · Mother of one · Mullumbimby