Avon means "river". "River Avon" in England therefore, literally means "River River" as does "Afon Afan" (River Afan) in Welsh.

There are several rivers named "Avon" around the world:

England

• River Avon, Devon, Bigbury on Sea near Salcombe
• River Avon, Warwickshire through Stratford-upon-Avon
• River Avon, Hampshire through Salisbury and Christchurch
• River Avon, Bristol through Bath and Bristol
• See also: Rivers of the United Kingdom

Wales

• River Afan is sometimes anglicised to Avon.

Scotland

• River Avon, Falkirk
• River Avon, Strathspey
• Avon Water, tributary of the River Clyde
• See also: Rivers of the United Kingdom

Canada

• Avon River, Ontario
• Avon River, Nova Scotia

New Zealand

• Avon River, New Zealand
• See also List of rivers of New Zealand

Australia

• Avon River, Western Australia
• Avon River, Western Victoria
• Avon River, Eastern Victoria

The name "Avon" comes from the Welsh word afon meaning "river". (It appears that later arrivals to Britain would ask the indigenous people what the local river was called, and were told, in the local language, that it was a river). The etymology of Avon is the Proto-Celtic *abonā, meaning "river".