From the name of a flowering shrub, the name itself derives from the Greek, αζαλεος (azaleos), meaning, “dry.”
Its use as a given name can be traced as far back as 18th-century England, and it has also been used in other countries such as Greece, Hungary, France and Spanish-Speaking countries.
The name first entered the U.S. Top 1000 in 2012 and has been steadily rising since then. As of 2016, Azalea was the 585th most popular female name.
Other forms of the name include:
- Azalija Азалия (Bulgarian/Lithuanian/Russian)
- Azalea (Catalan/Greek/Spanish)
- Azalée (French)
- Azálea (Hungarian)
- Açelya (Turkish)
Sources