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I wouldn't be surprised to see it, but I've always pronounced it AV-on-lee.

I have met someone named Avonlea before, and I have seen a couple of distant acquaintances use it for babies in the last few years (thanks Facebook).

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It's recognizable because of the books, and Nameberry did a focus on the name late last year, so I think that gave it a bit more traction than it normally would have.

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I think it fits the scene you laid out, and works well as a place-name.

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I personally wouldn't use it, but that is only because it is not my style. I think the sound pretty and wouldn't be surprised if I met an Avonlea.

Well, is that even how Avonlea is meant to be pronounced? I never have been sure.

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Since I really disliked Anne of Green Gables, the idea of somebody naming their kid Avonlea makes me roll my eyes.

I love L.M. Montgomery, and I think her books are what gave me a love of names. She has so many characters and so many wonderful names. I think it's a disservice to her to use a fictional place name when you could pick one of hundreds of character names.

My first inclination is to pronounce lea as 2 syllables (like Lea), and Avon just reminds me of the cosmetics company. It seems obviously made up to me, which I guess makes sense for an artist, but also not very original, or like an affectation...

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So if I was a young female artist going for that sound, I'd prefer Yvonne Li or Avani or Avalon or Ivana Lee.

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...or maybe even something involving Prairie...

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I like Lucy Maud more than all of those, though.

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This message was edited 10/20/2015, 9:20 PM

I'd pronounce it AV-on-lee, not ah-von-LEE. The final stress sounds pretentious.
Other than that I would not be surprised by it. It's a little flakey, but sayable, and flakey could be expected of an artist, right? heh.

I like it =) Mostly cos I grew up with Anne of Green Gables but I actually do really like it as a name.