Why Is Azzi Fudd Named Azzi and Called ‘Princess’? Story Behind Her Name Explained

“My mom told me when I was younger, but it didn’t really resonate with me until I was in middle school.” That was Azzi Fudd, talking about the moment she finally understood the weight of her name, and the legacy she was already asked to carry. 

Today, as far as basketball is concerned, that is a name that rings a bell the moment you hear it. She earned her first Division I scholarship offer in sixth grade, became the first sophomore to win the Gatorade National Player of the Year award, and in 2025, she led the UConn Huskies to an NCAA championship, averaging 17.5 points per game and earning Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors.

At this point, she owned that name. But before now, that name had another legacy associated with it.

Why Is Azzi Fudd Named ‘Azzi’? What Is the Meaning Behind Her Name?

Azzi Fudd was named after Jennifer Azzi, the 1996 Olympic gold medalist, former Stanford standout, and WNBA player. It wasn’t a random choice. Instead, it was a choice borne out of admiration and deep respect for the game of basketball. Jennifer Azzi was, in fact, Azzi’s mom Katie Fudd’s favorite player at the time. And she decided to name her daughter after her. 

That decision becomes even more meaningful when you consider Katie’s own connection to basketball. Her love for the sport went far beyond fandom. She also played basketball herself, with an impressive collegiate career at NC State and Georgetown. She was, in fact, drafted into the WNBA, though her professional career ended abruptly due to injury.

The basketball chain also connects from Azzi’s father’s side of the family. Her adoptive father, Tim Fudd, also played at a high level, representing American University at the college level before going on to play professionally.

Who Is Jennifer Azzi, and Why Was She Important to Azzi Fudd’s Family?

Jennifer Azzi is one of the most decorated players in the history of women’s basketball, and one of the defining figures of the sport’s growth in the 1990s. A point guard from Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Jennifer Azzi won an NCAA Championship at Stanford in 1990 and went on to represent the United States at the highest level of international competition. She won gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, one of the most celebrated moments in the history of American women’s basketball, and was also part of the USA teams that won the FIBA Women’s World Cup in 1990 and 1998. 

For Katie Fudd, Jennifer Azzi was more than a cherished player; she was a symbol of what women’s basketball could be and what it deserved to become. Katie played in an era when women’s college programs were still fighting for the recognition and resources that their men’s counterparts were enjoying. 

Watching Jennifer Azzi compete at the Olympic level, with the world watching and caring, represented something significant. So, when Katie’s daughter was born, naming her after that symbol was a way of saying this legacy matters, and she wanted her daughter to carry it forward. As it turned out, she has.

Why Is Azzi Fudd Called ‘Princess’? How Did the Nickname Start?

The nickname “Princess” came from Paige Bueckers, and she didn’t intend for it to be a nickname at all. During their time as teammates at UConn, Bueckers noticed that Coach Geno Auriemma, known for his exacting standards and his willingness to let players know when they were falling short, never seemed to raise his voice at Fudd. Bueckers then joked that Fudd was the “princess” because the coach did not yell at her, and the joke spread through the locker room. 

Over time, the nickname grew beyond the team, and what started as just “Princess” gradually evolved into “The People’s Princess,” as fans also picked it up and ran with it. Fudd has now fully embraced the name to the point of releasing merchandise with it.

Why Do Fans Call Azzi Fudd ‘The People’s Princess’? Meaning Explained

While the “Princess” part of the nickname came from Bueckers, the “People’s” part came slowly, genuinely, and entirely through the kind of connection that Azzi Fudd has with fans.

Azzi Fudd has built one of the most authentic and enthusiastic fan followings in women’s college basketball, and it’s not just because of what she does on the court. It’s also because of who she is off it. Her social media presence is warm, funny, and entirely unfiltered. Azzi is the kind of person who keeps wet wipes in her gym bag and is not shy about telling people why.

She does TikTok dances that get millions of views, and hosts a podcast called Fudd Around and Find Out. She also responds personally to fan letters, including deeply emotional ones from young athletes who found strength in her injury comeback story. 

The outpouring of fan support became impossible to ignore, evident in full force at both home and road games. At a particular UConn road game against USC in Los Angeles, thousands of fans turned out, and many of them were wearing Fudd’s number 35. To put this in perspective, the UConn Huskies are nearly 3,000 miles away from Los Angeles. 

How Do Azzi Fudd’s Name and Nickname Reflect Her Basketball Journey?

Azzi Fudd’s name and her nickname tell the complete story of who she is, where she came from, what she has built, and what she means to the people who have watched her do it. The name Azzi came from her mother’s admiration for a pioneer. For a player who helped prove that women’s basketball deserves to be watched, celebrated, and passed down, that name carried a weight of a legacy that Katie Fudd wanted her daughter to understand and honor. 

Azzi is building a legacy of her own with that name. A national champion in 2025, three-time gold medalist with Team USA, and even wearing the iconic No. 8 in tribute to Jennifer Azzi. Add in her resilience, bouncing back from serious injuries to lead UConn to a national title. She didn’t just carry the name; she validated the basketball greatness her mother envisioned for her.

The nickname, meanwhile, was not chosen at all. It arrived uninvited, starting from the locker room, and growing into something that now belongs to an entire fan base. And that is precisely what makes it so fitting. Azzi Fudd did not set out to be The People’s Princess. She set out to be the best basketball player she could be, and to be authentically, unapologetically herself in the process.

The post Why Is Azzi Fudd Named Azzi and Called ‘Princess’? Story Behind Her Name Explained appeared first on EssentiallySports.