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ArchivesAmaris - meaning and origin?
I knew a girl called Amaris, and on other sites I've seen this name listed as Hebrew, but it wasn't very reliable. Anyone know about this name?
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Amaris / Amarja / Imri
As Chrisell (and this site) says, the biblical name AMARJA (Amarya) means "God has said". This is usually interpreted as "God has created", as creation works through the word of God in the bible. "God has promised" would still be another possible interpretation.
There is a short form of that name in the bible: IMRI. Now IMRITH (or maybe with a different vocalisation AMARITH, a variant mentioned on one of those doubtful sites) could be a feminine form of this. Now -ith to -is does not seem to be a typical alteration in Hebrew, but rather in other languages (?). -is sounds Greek to me (possibly), but could be anything. So maybe the name underwent some changes influenced by another language. But all of this seems rather vague to me.
As Chrisell (and this site) says, the biblical name AMARJA (Amarya) means "God has said". This is usually interpreted as "God has created", as creation works through the word of God in the bible. "God has promised" would still be another possible interpretation.
There is a short form of that name in the bible: IMRI. Now IMRITH (or maybe with a different vocalisation AMARITH, a variant mentioned on one of those doubtful sites) could be a feminine form of this. Now -ith to -is does not seem to be a typical alteration in Hebrew, but rather in other languages (?). -is sounds Greek to me (possibly), but could be anything. So maybe the name underwent some changes influenced by another language. But all of this seems rather vague to me.
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Hebrew?
The name does not look Hebrew to me. I can't identify a "God" element such as YA/JA or EL, but maybe it is omitted. The modern Hebrew word for "promise" is "havtiach" from the verbal root "batach" (beth-teth-khet) meaning "to trust". In biblical Hebrew there are a few more terms like "diber" (to speak), "natan yad" (give hand) and "amar (le)" (to speak to). The vocalisation of amar does not indicate a passive meaning (this would be "amur"). Also "-is" is not a grammatical ending (suffix) in Hebrew as far as I know, neither for verbs nor for nouns or adjektives.
So this does not leave much of the meaning suggested "promised by God", I'm afraid.
The name does not look Hebrew to me. I can't identify a "God" element such as YA/JA or EL, but maybe it is omitted. The modern Hebrew word for "promise" is "havtiach" from the verbal root "batach" (beth-teth-khet) meaning "to trust". In biblical Hebrew there are a few more terms like "diber" (to speak), "natan yad" (give hand) and "amar (le)" (to speak to). The vocalisation of amar does not indicate a passive meaning (this would be "amur"). Also "-is" is not a grammatical ending (suffix) in Hebrew as far as I know, neither for verbs nor for nouns or adjektives.
So this does not leave much of the meaning suggested "promised by God", I'm afraid.
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I believe that Amaris is a modern Hispanic or Latin American creation. It could very well be based on the Latin amaris, "you are loved", though another possible guess would be that it's simply a shortened form of Amarilis, the Spanish form of Amaryllis. In any event, girls' names ending in -is have been particularly fashionable in the Hispanic American community for a generation.
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I've never heard of it, and it isn't a Hebrew word - amar means said but the -is doesn't seem like any Hebrew element. It looks Latin. Or Spanish. Which is why what Anneza said seems really possible.
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Some sites are pretty doubtful, all right. And I can't see any Hebrew elements in Amaris ... but Mrs Claire and Andy will know better.
In classical Latin, Amaris means "You are loved", which is a very positive name for a child ... the Romans would never have used it as a name, of course, but they wouldn't have used Amanda either. It could also have an etymological connection with vinegar, but let us be cheerful and optimistic!
In classical Latin, Amaris means "You are loved", which is a very positive name for a child ... the Romans would never have used it as a name, of course, but they wouldn't have used Amanda either. It could also have an etymological connection with vinegar, but let us be cheerful and optimistic!
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It could also be derived from the Latin "amarus", meaning 'bitter.' If that were the case, the name could have its roots in Italian, Spanish, or French, since they are all Romance languages. Bitter is "amer" (in French), "amaro" (in Italian), and "amargo" (in Spanish). (There are other words for 'bitter' in each of these languages, but the three listed above come closest to their Latin root)
"Les yeux sont aveugles. Il faut chercher avec le coeur." -- Le Petit Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupery
"Les yeux sont aveugles. Il faut chercher avec le coeur." -- Le Petit Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupery
This message was edited 7/31/2006, 10:13 AM
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Yes, it is a Hebrew name. It's meaning is 'promissed by God'
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Sources please . . .
If you're providing a name meaning that is not on this site, please provide either a reliable source or a clear etymological justification.
Thanks!
♦ Chrisell ♦
All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us. - J.R.R. Tolkien.
If you're providing a name meaning that is not on this site, please provide either a reliable source or a clear etymological justification.
Thanks!
All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us. - J.R.R. Tolkien.
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Hey Chrisell
I found this information on these sites:
http://www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/0/Amaris
http://www.babynamenetwork.com/detail.cfm?name=Amaris&gender=Female
http://www.babynames.com/Names/name_display.php?n=AMARIS
http://www.babynamecorner.com/babynames/a/42/
A couple of Dutch sites say the same.
Some sites say that te meaning is also "child of the moon". That would be the astrological name for Cancer.
I have also found variant forms of Amaris: Amariah, Amarissa, Amarit, Amarisa and Amarise
I found this information on these sites:
http://www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/0/Amaris
http://www.babynamenetwork.com/detail.cfm?name=Amaris&gender=Female
http://www.babynames.com/Names/name_display.php?n=AMARIS
http://www.babynamecorner.com/babynames/a/42/
A couple of Dutch sites say the same.
Some sites say that te meaning is also "child of the moon". That would be the astrological name for Cancer.
I have also found variant forms of Amaris: Amariah, Amarissa, Amarit, Amarisa and Amarise
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None of those sites are reliable sources . . .
A good look at those sites will show that they have no requirement for accuracy and no lists of sources for their name meanings. They are frequently incorrect about even the best-known name meanings. Some even allow un-moderated user additions to the database.
In this case, they appear to have 'decided' that Amaris is a variation of the masculine Hebrew name Amariah, which means "Yahweh has said" (which could easily be extrapolated to mean "God has Promised"). However, there is no evidence to support the derivation of Amaris from Amariah. Hebrew names don't work that way.
"That would be the astrological name for Cancer."
The what? Cancer is the astrological name for Cancer. I can't find any reference to Amaris at all on www.answers.com, and certainly not on their Cancer (astrology) page.
http://www.answers.com/topic/cancer-astrology
Please, don't site these commercial "Baby name" sites again unless you have a good reason to believe they are correct and can justify it using etymology.
♦ Chrisell ♦
All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us. - J.R.R. Tolkien.
A good look at those sites will show that they have no requirement for accuracy and no lists of sources for their name meanings. They are frequently incorrect about even the best-known name meanings. Some even allow un-moderated user additions to the database.
In this case, they appear to have 'decided' that Amaris is a variation of the masculine Hebrew name Amariah, which means "Yahweh has said" (which could easily be extrapolated to mean "God has Promised"). However, there is no evidence to support the derivation of Amaris from Amariah. Hebrew names don't work that way.
"That would be the astrological name for Cancer."
The what? Cancer is the astrological name for Cancer. I can't find any reference to Amaris at all on www.answers.com, and certainly not on their Cancer (astrology) page.
http://www.answers.com/topic/cancer-astrology
Please, don't site these commercial "Baby name" sites again unless you have a good reason to believe they are correct and can justify it using etymology.
All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us. - J.R.R. Tolkien.
This message was edited 7/29/2006, 2:36 AM
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I read it and they do mention 'moonchild', so I suppose that is what they meant on that site. Anyway, I don't think it makes a lot of sense as the meaning for Amaris.
I guess the sites I mentioned aren't very reliable, but one of the Dutch sites has a book as their source: '10.000 moderne en klassieke voornamen.' Maybe that is a better source.
I guess the sites I mentioned aren't very reliable, but one of the Dutch sites has a book as their source: '10.000 moderne en klassieke voornamen.' Maybe that is a better source.
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