Amaryllis (given name)
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Amaryllis (/ˌæməˈrɪlɪs/; Ancient Greek: Ἀμαρυλλίς) is a feminine given name derived from the Ancient Greek verb amarýssō (ἀμαρύσσω), meaning "sparkle, shine".[1]
Origin
[edit]The name appears in Ancient Greek and Roman literature. In Theocritus' Idylls, a goatherd sings a serenade outside the cave of the nymph Amaryllis.[2] Amaryllis was also the name of a heroine in Virgil's pastoral poem Eclogues.[3] The Amaryllis flower is named after her.
Amaryllis is not a very popular name in Greece, nor in other countries. It has been included in the Greek Orthodox calendar only recently, meaning there is a name day for Amaryllis, which is October 10.
The name rose in popularity in the United States in 1927 after the publication of The Magic Garden, a serialized fictional story by American author Gene Stratton-Porter in McCall's magazine, that featured a heroine named Amaryllis Minton. Usage of the name increased from seven in 1926 to 45 American girls named Amaryllis in 1927.[4]
Women
[edit]- Amaryllis Collymore (c. 1745–1828), Afro-Barbadian slave, plantation owner and businesswoman
- Amaryllis Fleming (1925 – 1999), British cello performer and teacher
- Amaryllis Garnett (1943 – 1973), English actress and diarist
- Amaryllis Fox Kennedy (born 1980), American writer and former CIA officer
- Amaryllis Tremblay, Canadian actress
References
[edit]- ^ "Lexigram". Lexigram. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
- ^ "Theocritus, Idylls". loebclassics.com. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
- ^ "Virgil's Eclogues". virgil.org. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
- ^ "What gave the baby name Amaryllis a boost in 1927?". 16 July 2024.