Azucena

Updated: October 26, 2023 by Sarah Nance

Azucena is a beautiful Spanish baby name for girls. With its close resemblance to the Spanish word for “sugar,” this name infuses sweetness into any setting. Azucena is the name of a favorite character in the opera Il Trovatore, and Azucena Rodríguez is the titular protagonist of the Venezuelan telenovela Azucena. Keep reading to learn more about this unique baby name.

Origin of the name Azucena:

Azucena is the Spanish name for the Lilium candidum (known in English as the “Madonna lily” or “white lily”). The name Azucena rose to prominence during Moorish Spain and ultimately derives from the Arabic words ‘abyad (meaning “white”) and zanbaq (meaning “lily”).

Symbolism of the name Azucena:

Azucena was the colloquial term for “white lily” in Moorish Spain. Revered for its blemish-free beauty, the white lily came to symbolize chastity within the Roman Catholic church. Following the Roman Catholic reconquest of Spain, the white lily became a symbol of the Virgin Mary. Therefore, church adherents began to refer to the plant as the “Madonna lily.” In ordinance with this tradition, the name Azucena has its own annual feast day in Spain on August 15. And since the name Azucena closely resembles azúcar (the Spanish word for “sugar”), white sugar is also a vernacular symbol of the name.

Nicknames for the name Azucena:

Azu
Aza
Cena
Cenie
Zuzu
Azúcar
CiCi
Ceen
Cee
Zuce

Style of the name Azucena:

Traditional

Gender of the name Azucena:

Azucena is a girl's name.

Pronunciation of the name Azucena:

a-soo-SEH-na

Number of syllables in the name Azucena:

Four

Emotion evoked from the name Azucena:

The name Azucena evokes feelings of adoration and allegiance.

Alternative spellings for the name Azucena:

Azusena
Azuzena
Azuthena
Azucéna

Popularity of the name Azucena:

Azucena is the Spanish word for “Madonna lily.” According to the Social Security Administration index, Madonna was the 943rd most popular baby name for girls in 1968. The name Madonna ranked among the top 1,000 baby names for girls from 1909-1968. Lily was the 35th most popular name for girls in 2020. The name Lily has ranked among the top 100 baby names for girls since 2002. Azucena peaked in the United States as the 1,090th most popular baby name for girls in 2001.