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At a Glance: Name: Amaryllis – Meaning: to sparkle or shine – Origin: Ancient Greek – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: am-ah-RIL-iss
Amaryllis is a girl's name rooted in Ancient Greek, where it comes from a word meaning 'to sparkle or shine.' You may see it explained as meaning a dazzling flower, but that gets the history backward: the flower was actually named after a Greek shepherdess called Amaryllis, not the other way around. It's pronounced am-ah-RIL-iss.
Meaning & Origin of Amaryllis
Meaning: To sparkle or shine.
Origin: Ancient Greek.
A common claim: Amaryllis is often said to mean 'an exotic/dazzling flower.' Actually: That reverses the actual history — the amaryllis flower was named after the Greek shepherdess Amaryllis, not the other way around; the name itself derives from a Greek root meaning 'to sparkle or shine.'
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Amaryllis
Phonetic: am-ah-RIL-iss IPA: /ˌæməˈrɪlɪs/
Popularity of Amaryllis
Amaryllis reached its high point in 1927, when 45 babies were given the name, ranking it #1139. By 2024 it had fallen to #2689, with just 64 babies given the name that year.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1926–2024.
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Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Amaryllis mean?
To sparkle or shine. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Amaryllis)
How do you pronounce Amaryllis?
Amaryllis is pronounced am-ah-RIL-iss (IPA: /ˌæməˈrɪlɪs/).
Is Amaryllis a popular name right now?
Amaryllis peaked at #1139 in 1927 and is ranked #2689 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1926–2024.)
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