Late 19th century; earliest use found in Cape Monthly Magazine. From South African Dutch avondbloemetje and Afrikaans aandblommetjie (although this is first attested later: 1884) from Dutch avond evening + bloemetje little flower (Afrikaans blommetjie) from bloem, †bloeme flower + -tje, diminutive suffix, after South African Dutch avondbloem and Afrikaans aandblom.