Phyllis

alternative Phillis

1. Greekhuman sciencesA girl who killed herself for love and was turned into an almond tree.
2. A female given name from Ancient Greek derived from the mythological character.

   Fair Phyllis I saw sitting all alone / Feeding her flock near to the mountain side

   1599 John Farmer, Fair Phyllis (a madrigal)

   4 more examples

   But the name to which the Pages were given of yore, / And the name of the Page I am speaking of, bore / As much likeness as Sukey to Eleonore, / or Betty to Phyllis or Lalage;

   1855 A.W., The Little Foot-Page, in Chambers's Journal, No. 92, Oct. 6, 1855

   "Look," said Bobbie, "I've made the nest all right again. Give me the bit of stick to mark your initial name on it. But how can you? Your letter and Peter's are the same. P. for Peter, P. for Phyllis." "I put F. for Phyllis," said the child of that name. "That's how it sounds. The swallows wouldn't spell Phyllis with a P., I'm certain-sure."

   1906, Edith Nesbit, The Railway Children, Chapter 11

   "Well, you know when a father's name is Paul and they name the baby girl, Paulette?" "Or Paula." "That's right. Or his name is Philip and they name her Phyllis?" "Or Phillipa. Don't forget Phillipa. I love the name Phillipa." Lark smiled and played the game with Holly.

   2002, Patricia McCune Irvine, A Tinkling Cymbal, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 183

   The death of anti-feminist activist Phyllis Schlafly on Monday brought commiserations from the GOP ticket.

   2016 September 6, Timothy Stanley, “How Phyllis Schlafly gave us Sarah Palin”, in CNN