"Camellia" is a flower. That is why "Camellia" has a nameday on Palm Sunday (the Sunday before Easter) - the day of flowers and willows (the names of the other trees also have a nameday).
The Lady of the Camellias (La Dame aux camélias) is a novel by Alexandre Dumas. It has been adapted into plays, opera (Verdi's La Traviata) and film (one version which Greta Garbo got an Oscar nomination for).
This name is always pronounced in English as "kə-MEE-lee-ə", not "kə-MEL-ee-ə" (despite having two Ls).The Camellia is a very glamorous-looking flower originally from the Far East, and has been very popular in Oriental art throughout history. In the Victorian language of flowers, the Camellia symbolises Unpretending Excellence or Perfected Loveliness. [noted -ed]
I have always pronounced Camellia like ka-mill-ee-ah.My sister has this name, and most people mispronounce it. So many people (including most of her teachers), in fact, that now she just tells people to call her "Camel" if they don't get her name right the first few times...