Namewise

Azai vs Willow

Azai and Willowcompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.

Head to head

Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Azai was ranked #1199 and Willow #4270 among boys in England and Wales.

Azai and Willow over time

Azai and Willow appear together in 1 published list, across 8 years of shared records. Azai held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Willow in 0.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Willow reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Azai in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.

Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Boys8 shared years, 20162024

    Azai held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Willow in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Azai #1199 in 2024, Willow #2325 in 2023.

    The order changed in 2019: Azai moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #2693 and #2445; by 2019 that had become #1253 and #4702.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Azai #1199, Willow #4270.

Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Azai, Willow
FieldAzaiWillow
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedFrom the name of the willow tree, ultimately from Old English 'welig' — an English nature/word name.
OriginNot yet recordedEnglish, a modern nature name from the willow tree
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈwɪl.oʊ/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENWAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Boys #1199 (2024)New South Wales, Australia · Girls #23 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)40/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Willow has a recorded origin (English, a modern nature name from the willow tree); Azai does not have one recorded yet.
  • Azai and Willow both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Willow; Azai doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW.

How each name got here

Azai

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded2013

    First recorded at #3822 among boys in England and Wales in 2013 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    England and Wales · Boys

  2. Highest recorded2013–2024

    Highest recorded position: #1199 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024 (recorded 2013–2024).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #1199 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Boys

Willow

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1996

    First recorded at #891 among girls in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    England and Wales · Girls

  2. Highest recorded2010–2023

    Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in New Zealand, in 2020 (recorded 2010–2023).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #23 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls