La Complainte du berger (Daphnis et Amaryllis) by Arnold Böcklin

Amaryllis (/ˌæməˈrɪlɪs/; Ancient Greek: Ἀμαρυλλίς) is a female ancient Greek name and derives from the Ancient Greek verb amarýssō (ἀμαρύσσω), meaning "sparkle, shine".[1]

Origin

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.

References

  1. "Lexigram". Lexigram. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  2. "Theocritus, Idylls". loebclassics.com. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  3. "Virgil's Eclogues". virgil.org. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
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