Amaryllis

Amaryllis is a female first name of Greek origin that became popular through ancient pastoral poetry. In its literal translation, the name means 'the Sparkling' or 'the Shimmering', and freely interpreted, also 'the Beautiful'.

What does the name Amaryllis mean?

The name Amaryllis has its roots in Greek and became known through pastoral poetry. Translated, it means 'the Sparkling' or 'the Shimmering', with the meaning 'the Beautiful' also being implied. The ancient Greek word amarýsso̱ (ἀμαρύσσω) stands for terms like 'to sparkle', 'to shimmer', 'to shine', and 'beautiful'. In literature, Amaryllis was celebrated as a shepherdess by the Roman poet Virgil. In the 18th century, the plant of the same name was named after this character. Amarilis is also considered a Latin American variant of the name.

Where does the name Amaryllis come from?

The name Amaryllis has ancient Greek roots and means 'the Sparkling'. The etymology comes from the ancient Greek amarýsso̱ (ἀμαρύσσω), which means 'to sparkle', 'to shimmer', 'to shine', and 'beautiful'. The name is common in English and Greek languages.

How do you pronounce Amaryllis?

The pronunciation of Amaryllis is melodious and consists of four to five syllables. The name is pronounced as 'A-ma-ryl-lis' [amaˈʁʏlɪs], combining open a-sounds with a distinctive middle structure. The double consonant -ll- and the -is at the end of the name give it a special phonetic note. Amaryllis thus appears both exotic and elegant – full-toned, multifaceted, and with a fine phonetic tension.

Popularity

In Germany, Amaryllis is among the more common female names. Currently, it ranks 3,210th on the list of the most popular female first names. Its best placement was in 2010, at 2,348th. In the last ten years, Amaryllis has been chosen as a first name around 40 times, placing it at 4,320th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, the name ranks 4,602nd.

Nicknames & pet names

Amary / Amie / Amy / Lilly / Lis / Mara / Marilly / Mary / Rissy / Ryllis

Famous people

• Amaryllis Fleming (British cellist (1925-1999)
• Amaryllis Knight (British TV personality and documentary producer (Jack Osbourne: Adrenaline Junkie: The Mongol Rally)
• Fee Amaryllis (Character from the novel/film 'The Robber Hotzenplotz')