Azucena

Meaning of Azucena

Azucena is a feminine given name rooted in the Spanish term for “lily,” whose etymology can be traced through medieval Iberian onomastic traditions to the Latin Susanna and ultimately to the Hebrew šōšannāh; its semantic field evokes notions of purity and renewal, as symbolized by the white lily. Its cultural resonance is further amplified by its designation as the name of the central gypsy figure in Giuseppe Verdi’s 1853 opera Il trovatore, a dramatic association that has contributed to the enduring, if measured, presence of the name in both Hispanic and broader Anglo-American contexts. Statistical analyses of United States birth registration data reveal that Azucena has maintained a position within the lower quartile of national rankings—registering 45 occurrences in 2024 and securing a rank of 905—following a modest surge in the early 2000s when it approached the mid-700s. This convergence of botanical, linguistic and operatic heritage positions Azucena as a choice of considered rarity, offering parents an appellation that is at once aesthetically graceful and underpinned by a rich historical and cultural lineage.