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ArchivesWhat's with Avril?
I saw on a name board that someone said it has "questionable legitimacy". I know it happens to be the French word for April but I always thought it was a form of Eoforhild like this site says, or is this Averill? To me, it's an English name. I have an Avril in my family tree going back 160 years but I would have to recheck its spelling (?) It appears it has lots of use in England over the last 200 years. Still, not "legit" then?
Confused!
Confused!
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I just replied on the other board, but I repeat here the argumentation about Avril and Averil(l).
Avril, Averil, Averill (and Averell) and Everild are all legit forms from the Anglo-Saxon name Eoforhild. The serie could be, more or less, Eoforhild>Everhild>Everild>*Everil>Averil(l)>Avril .
Avril, reflecting a contracted pronunciation, coincides formly with the French avril, "April", but it is just a coincidence. It is true that most of the parents will select Avril because "hey, it is French and that is cool", but this has nothing to do with the legitimacy of the form (only with parents' knowledge, trendyness, taste...). On the other hand, historically Avril was used as masculine name in French (just as Aprilis in Latin and Abril in Catalan, Spanish and Galician).
The surname Averill is a matronym (the mother's name used as family name, with or without a mark) and was a first name before a surname. So, it is true that it is a surname, but it is also true that it is a legit first name. (Another question is if it is a good name or is not.)
Avril, Averil, Averill (and Averell) and Everild are all legit forms from the Anglo-Saxon name Eoforhild. The serie could be, more or less, Eoforhild>Everhild>Everild>*Everil>Averil(l)>Avril .
Avril, reflecting a contracted pronunciation, coincides formly with the French avril, "April", but it is just a coincidence. It is true that most of the parents will select Avril because "hey, it is French and that is cool", but this has nothing to do with the legitimacy of the form (only with parents' knowledge, trendyness, taste...). On the other hand, historically Avril was used as masculine name in French (just as Aprilis in Latin and Abril in Catalan, Spanish and Galician).
The surname Averill is a matronym (the mother's name used as family name, with or without a mark) and was a first name before a surname. So, it is true that it is a surname, but it is also true that it is a legit first name. (Another question is if it is a good name or is not.)
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Wow!!
Thankyou for all this information. This is most appreciated.
Thankyou for all this information. This is most appreciated.
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I think they must have meant that its origins aren't clear. The name itself has never been hugely popular, but as you say, it's been around for a long time and is still in use.
It also gets used occasionally in Afrikaans for boys, by the way. One grew up to be the Springbok rugby captain ... a more butch occupation you can't imagine.
It also gets used occasionally in Afrikaans for boys, by the way. One grew up to be the Springbok rugby captain ... a more butch occupation you can't imagine.
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Thanks
Maybe you are right but I got the impression a few thought it wasn't "legitimate" *because of unclear origins* There's probably lots of names that are a lot more common that this could apply to also. I doubt they would be called non names. I think this "legitimacy" thing gets way out of hand with some name enthusiasts.
And thanks for that little piece of information. I really did laugh out loud!!
Maybe you are right but I got the impression a few thought it wasn't "legitimate" *because of unclear origins* There's probably lots of names that are a lot more common that this could apply to also. I doubt they would be called non names. I think this "legitimacy" thing gets way out of hand with some name enthusiasts.
And thanks for that little piece of information. I really did laugh out loud!!
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