Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for AVON

AVON, an ancient British word, signifying "stream" or "river," and specially applied to a stream of easy and gentle course. It is used both as a complete name and as a prefix; and it occurs in the hydrographical nomen clature of all the divisions of the United Kingdom. The closest form of spelling it perhaps would be Abhin; but the various forms of Avon, Aven, Afon, Afen, Awin, Owen, Awn, Ann, and Aan, are used.


(John Marius Wilson, Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72))