'amoyese' originates from the name 'Amoy,' the former name of the city of Xiamen in Fujian province, China, combined with the suffix '-ese,' which denotes language or nationality.

'Amoy' was the name used by Westerners for the city of Xiamen, and the term 'amoyese' was coined to describe the dialect and people associated with this region.

Initially, it referred specifically to the dialect spoken in Amoy, but it has also come to denote the people from this region.