'Amyraldist' originates from the Latinized form of the French name 'Amyraldus', ultimately from the French name 'Amyraut' (the surname of the 17th-century theologian Moses Amyraut), combined with the agent suffix '-ist' (from Greek/Latin) meaning 'one who adheres to or advocates'.

'Amyraldist' changed from formations referring to the person 'Amyraut' and to the doctrine 'Amyraldism' (e.g. 'Amyraldian', 'Amyraldist') and eventually settled in modern English as the noun 'Amyraldist' to denote a follower of that theology.

Initially it was simply a name referring to Moses Amyraut; over time it evolved to mean 'a follower or proponent of Amyraut's theological views' rather than only the personal name.