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At a Glance: Name: Hazel – Meaning: the hazel tree, and by extension its light-brown color – Origin: Old English – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: HAY-zel
Hazel is an Old English name that refers to the hazel tree and, by extension, its light-brown color. You may have come across the claim that Hazel means 'wisdom,' drawn from Celtic folklore about hazelnuts — but that's lore attached to the tree, not the meaning of the name itself, which simply points to the tree and its color. It's pronounced HAY-zel (IPA /ˈheɪzəl/).
Meaning & Origin of Hazel
Meaning: The hazel tree, and by extension its light-brown color.
Origin: Old English.
A common claim: Hazel is widely said to symbolize or mean 'wisdom,' tied to Celtic folklore about the hazel tree and hazelnuts. Actually: That's a folklore association layered onto the tree, not the name's actual meaning — Hazel denotes the hazel tree (and its light-brown color), not 'wisdom.'
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Hazel
Phonetic: HAY-zel IPA: /ˈheɪzəl/
Popularity of Hazel
Hazel hit its historical high at #18 back in 1897, when 2,339 girls were given the name; in 2024 it sat just one spot lower at #19, but with 6,401 girls named Hazel, nearly triple the count from its 1897 peak.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.
Make Hazel Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Hazel, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Hazel mean?
The hazel tree, and by extension its light-brown color. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Hazel)
How do you pronounce Hazel?
Hazel is pronounced HAY-zel (IPA: /ˈheɪzəl/).
Is Hazel a popular name right now?
Hazel is near its all-time peak (#18 in 1897), ranked #19 in 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
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