Thoughts on Avonlea

ashleyhuney · April 2011

DH and I are 99% sure that we want to name our daughter Avonlea. However, I'd love to hear some people's impressions/opinions of the name. For a middle name we are thinking of Joy. I don't mind posting our last name since it's one of the top 3 most common last names, it's Johnson.

I'm Ashley, DH is Brandon and DS is Jacob so our daughter would be the only (or first at least) in the family with a non typical name. Avonlea is special to me because I adore the Anne of Green Gables/Avonlea series and have read all 8 books at least once a year for 20 years. I met a little girl with the name Avonlea when I was PG with DS, mentioned it to DH and we both loved it. For the past 3 years we knew our future daughter would be Avonlea. Joy is my MN as well as my aunts which is why we like it but we are not stuck on it.

Ok, bring it

Edit:

While ya'll are batting the name about, question about a nickname. I love the nickname Ally/Allie etc. It works with Avonlea because the "lea" is pronounced "lee." So, to spell that nickname do I spell it Alea (existentially dropping the middle) or a more classic Allie, Ally...or something I'm not thinking of. I appreciate everyone's input, after choosing the #1 name for DS I'm in uncharted waters with such an uncommon name!

love_melongtime · April 2011

I hate it. I think her whole life she will have people saying "Oh, like from Anne of Green Gables??"

But thats just my opinion!

mrs_tacos · April 2011

I actually really like it! I think it's beautiful:) I would totally use it if my DH would go for it.

Emiliana7 · April 2011

ashleyhuney:

DH and I are 99% sure that we want to name our daughter Avonlea. However, I'd love to hear some people's impressions/opinions of the name. For a middle name we are thinking of Joy. I don't mind posting our last name since it's one of the top 3 most common last names, it's Johnson.

I'm Ashley, DH is Brandon and DS is Jacob so our daughter would be the only (or first at least) in the family with a non typical name. Avonlea is special to me because I adore the Anne of Green Gables/Avonlea series and have read all 8 books at least once a year for 20 years. I met a little girl with the name Avonlea when I was PG with DS, mentioned it to DH and we both loved it. For the past 3 years we knew our future daughter would be Avonlea. Joy is my MN as well as my aunts which is why we like it but we are not stuck on it.

Ok, bring it

If this name has had such a major part of your life I say go for it!

Its NMS, but there's plenty of worse names out there.

I love the mn Joy (its mine too!) and if she gets older and doesn't like Avonlea or the connection with AOGG then she can easily go by Joy.

Blue1299 · April 2011

I actually like it. I've never read Anne of Green Gables, so I would never connect the name with the books. I'm not fond of Joy as a mn, together it almost sounds too whimsical. I don't have any suggestions, but I do think the mn should be short & sweet.

starlight8323 · April 2011

The Anne of Green Gables reference doesn't bother me... but the fact that it is a place name makes me dislike it on principle.

I love the books, but there are soo many great names throughout the series (actual human names!), that I would rather name my children. But that's just me.

You are also guaranteed some spelling/pronunciation issues, but I guess you already thought of that.

Wufroggy79 · April 2011

I also think of the Anne of Green Gables reference too, if that doesn't bother you.

Personally, I'm not a fan of "made up" names for babies.

pennysuedog · April 2011

Sorry not a fan.

forensicmama · April 2011

I like literary names. I'm not so sure I would use this one myself - I'd rather use Anne and in fact I almost did for very similar reasons - we named our DD Anna. I'm OK with Avonlea as a name.

ashleyhuney · April 2011

forensicmama:
I like literary names. I'm not so sure I would use this one myself - I'd rather use Anne and in fact I almost did for very similar reasons - we named our DD Anna. I'm OK with Avonlea as a name.

Thought about Ann, but Ann Johnson? Might as well be Jane Smith.

Interestingly I do not like names that are places. For some reason Avonlea is less a place and more a literary character to me...

ames71 · April 2011

I love Anne of Green Gables, but there are so many other names you could use from that series. Your child shouldn't have to deal with a silly name just because you liked a book.

ETA: As a mn it would be so much nicer.

Ceridwen21 · April 2011

I love it. I wouldn't have the guts to use it, but I think it looks and sounds beautiful, and I'm a huge fan of AOGG, RTA.

Anne is in our top 5 list for girl names, and it's cause of AOGG.

Felix (RTA) is my #1 boy name, but DH nixed it.

trishinbanff · April 2011

I don't usually Iike place name but more along the lines of London, Paris, Brooklyn, Dallas that sort of thing. I like it and I don't think a lot of people in the states will get where it's from. You will have to get used to people mispronouncing it and explaining where it came from. I love Anne of Green Gables (Gilbert in on my boys list) and have been to PEI to see it as well. So if you and your DH love it then go for it.

jessiimae22 · April 2011

I love it , and i think it is beautiful . I personally do not make the connection , but that's me . Not many people in your childs generation will probably make the conection either , being that the books will be " old " in their terms by then .

Ceridwen21 · April 2011

jessiimae22:
I love it , and i think it is beautiful . I personally do not make the connection , but that's me . Not many people in your childs generation will probably make the conection either , being that the books will be " old " in their terms by then .

LOL... AOGG was first published in 1908, so it's old by our standards already. It's a classic and I think will be popular for many, many more generations to come.

Rach21 · April 2011

Avonlea isn't a made-up name... it's a place name.

I personally like it. I wouldn't NN it thought because calling a girl named Avonlea "Allie" or "Alea" doesn't jive with me. Avonlea Joy sounds very breezy and lilting to me.

Edited after posting: LOLOLOLOL I totally forgot there's no such place as Avonlea, Prince Edward Island. I still think it's pretty.

Bubbalub · April 2011

Eaglefoot23:
The Anne of Green Gables reference doesn't bother me... but the fact that it is a place name makes me dislike it on principle.

I love the books, but there are soo many great names throughout the series (actual human names!), that I would rather name my children. But that's just me.

You are also guaranteed some spelling/pronunciation issues, but I guess you already thought of that.

I agree completely. I never read Anne of Green Gables and even I make that place name connection.

If you love the books so much, why not name her Anne?

Sunshine is mine · April 2011

I love it! its on my list also!

Nanna · April 2011

I personally like this name, but I'm also a HUGE fan of the series. I can see how it can be a controversial pick. I also don't get the Alea (which I would not pronouce as "Ally") or Ally/Allie nn.

Blythe is actually one of the AOGG-inspired names on our list of potential girl names. :::swoons thinking about Gilbert::: Like PP said, there are so many excellent names used in the series that you could look for something a little less "out there."

robynlesley · April 2011

love_melongtime:
I hate it. I think her whole life she will have people saying "Oh, like from Anne of Green Gables??"

But thats just my opinion!

Mine too. Was my first thought: Oh! Anne of Avonlea!

AnneShirleyBlythe · April 2011

Ceridwen21:
jessiimae22:
I love it , and i think it is beautiful . I personally do not make the connection , but that's me . Not many people in your childs generation will probably make the conection either , being that the books will be " old " in their terms by then .
LOL... AOGG was first published in 1908, so it's old by our standards already. It's a classic and I think will be popular for many, many more generations to come.

Definitely ditto this. The books are definitely firmly classics. I am fairly positive that Twilight names won't be remembered as such since I am pretty sure they will never be classics the way that AoGG books are.

I obviously am also an AOGG fan. I would never have the guts to use the name Avonlea but would like to meet anyone who does. It isn't made up, but it is very uncommon. I would have used the name Gilbert if my cousin didn't have a Gilbert already. I would use Anne or Diana, or even Anne Cordelia before I would use Avonlea. Josephine or Rachel would be good too. Leave out Minnie Mae, Wilma I. Ball and Fannie I. Oppner though, ok?

Clerk9 · April 2011

I think it's very pretty & wonderful that it has such special meaning to you! As long as you don't mind people regularly commenting on the reference (& classic literature isn't a bad reference, IMO), I say go for it.

The only thing I WOULDN'T do is to try & get away with "Alea" = Allie/Ally. If I saw Alea, I'd think AH-LEE-UH. Plus I'm not really digging Allie as a NN for Avonlea..."Leigh" seems much more of a natural NN to me.

Saltina11 · April 2011

It reminds me of a sea town in NJ.

led2009 · April 2011

AnneShirleyBlythe:
Ceridwen21:

jessiimae22:
I love it , and i think it is beautiful . I personally do not make the connection , but that's me . Not many people in your childs generation will probably make the conection either , being that the books will be " old " in their terms by then .

LOL... AOGG was first published in 1908, so it's old by our standards already. It's a classic and I think will be popular for many, many more generations to come.

Definitely ditto this. The books are definitely firmly classics. I am fairly positive that Twilight names won't be remembered as such since I am pretty sure they will never be classics the way that AoGG books are.

I obviously am also an AOGG fan. I would never have the guts to use the name Avonlea but would like to meet anyone who does. It isn't made up, but it is very uncommon. I would have used the name Gilbert if my cousin didn't have a Gilbert already. I would use Anne or Diana, or even Anne Cordelia before I would use Avonlea. Josephine or Rachel would be good too. Leave out Minnie Mae, Wilma I. Ball and Fannie I. Oppner though, ok?

I agree. Anne of Green Gables is timeless and will never be "old". I like Avonlea but I also love a lot of other names from the books. If you're to worried about it being so different you could look at some of the others. I like Blythe but can't think of a nn for it.

BFab11 · April 2011

I don't like it. I love love love the AOGG series, but there are so many other beautiful names you can use from there that still have that meaning to you but won't get as many "oh like from AOGG?" or misspellings or mispronunciations. I like the thought, but not the name.

newportbride715 · April 2011

I love it. So uncommon, feminine and different yet old fashioned and NOT trendy. I am indifferent to the AOGG reference. I know a little girl named Avonlea. I don't love the nn.. I think it is too different from Avonlea and would just end up replacing it. Call her Avonlea.

AmyD583 · April 2011

Its just okay for me. I wouldn't make fun of someone for having that name, but I also wouldn't want to be named that.

fraglette · April 2011

I like Anne Johnson better. Yes they're both "plain" names, but I like that about them. And I feel like Avonlea Johnson has a weird feel to it.

zaramarie81 · April 2011

Emiliana7:
ashleyhuney:

DH and I are 99% sure that we want to name our daughter Avonlea. However, I'd love to hear some people's impressions/opinions of the name. For a middle name we are thinking of Joy. I don't mind posting our last name since it's one of the top 3 most common last names, it's Johnson.

I'm Ashley, DH is Brandon and DS is Jacob so our daughter would be the only (or first at least) in the family with a non typical name. Avonlea is special to me because I adore the Anne of Green Gables/Avonlea series and have read all 8 books at least once a year for 20 years. I met a little girl with the name Avonlea when I was PG with DS, mentioned it to DH and we both loved it. For the past 3 years we knew our future daughter would be Avonlea. Joy is my MN as well as my aunts which is why we like it but we are not stuck on it.

Ok, bring it

If this name has had such a major part of your life I say go for it!

Its NMS, but there's plenty of worse names out there.

I love the mn Joy (its mine too!) and if she gets older and doesn't like Avonlea or the connection with AOGG then she can easily go by Joy.

This. If it's special to you, I think you should go for it. It sounds pretty.

Dameeyola · August 2013

I actually named my middle daughter Avonlea.. She's 5 1/2 and the most beautiful child, inside and out! (I'm biased!) but I adore the Anne books and movies. I personally love when people connect her name to that. It's one of the great series of its time and the victorian era is my fave. I say do it! The Avonleas- and kindred spirits- will change the world!

ashleyhuney · August 2013

Dameeyola, Avonlea's 2nd birthday is this weekend - still love her name!

Scarlett&Gatsby · August 2013

It's NMS but it could grow on me. I didn't really like AOGG (I know, blasphemy), so I'm fairly ambivalent to the name. Regardless, it sounds like THE name for your daughter, from everything you've said about it. And no matter what, it's a way better choice than Anne, the dullest and most nasally female name in the English language.

Barbercharm · August 2013

I'm familiar with AOGG but have never read it.. I think I'm mispronouncing the name.. I see it as "ah-Von-lee-ah". I don't like it, but it's not my kid!

. I prefer Avalon, but that's not the name in the story. So if you like it, go for it!

Ladybug32110 · August 2013

I don't know how to pronounce this. And Alea says "ah-lee-ah" not Allie

Dr.Loretta · August 2013

NMS. No idea how you'd spell the NN you want

leahmary82 · August 2013

I like it, but I'm a huge fan of the books, etc. I don't think Allie works that great as a nn, what about Ava?

magsugar13 · August 2013

all I keep hearing is heavenly joy

orangehills · August 2013

Ha I like it. I am obsessed with A of GG myself, I even did the whole PEI trip as well. I love it too, that Joy would be the middle name, since Anne's first daughter was Joyce, meant to be called Joy. I personally like it, it's definitely different, but cool. My neighbor called her daughter Avalon and it was odd at first, but people got used it. I actually liked Blythe from that as well. And my middle name is Joyce, so one day if I have a girl, I will use Anne or Joyce as a middle name! Also- for a nickname, either Leigh, or maybe Avie? Pronounced like A-V.

BC&LM · August 2013

Love the Anne books, but hate Avonlea as a name. I don't like place names, even if the place is fictional. If you like the books so much, why don't you choose a real name from the books like Anne, Diana, or Cordelia?