girl's name
Avril
ah-VREEL (French)
- Origin French
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 7,492
France
#961
2025 births
Avril is a girl's name of French origin meaning "April." It's the French word for the fourth month, and like April it traces to Latin Aprilis, a name usually connected with the verb aperire, "to open," as buds open in spring.
- Avril is a name of French origin.
- Peaked in 2008, when 155 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 30,698 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1919.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Avril Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1910s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 5 |
| 1920s | 75 |
| 1930s | 21 |
| 1940s | 28 |
| 1950s | 50 |
| 1960s | 92 |
| 1970s | 155 |
| 1980s | 121 |
| 1990s | 103 |
| 2000s | 950 |
| 2010s | 1,233 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 651 |
What Avril Means
Avril means April and carries the associations of spring, new growth and opening. It's a month name first, so its appeal lies in the season and in the softer French sound of the word.
Where Avril Comes From
Avril comes from Latin Aprilis, the Roman name for the month. Roman writers linked it to aperire, to open, though the true source of the month name has never been settled, and some scholars have proposed a link to Aphrodite. Old French wore the word down to avril, and it has been the ordinary French month name ever since. Using it as a girl's name follows the same pattern as June and May in English. It took hold in Ireland as well as France during the twentieth century, and it gained a much wider audience through a Canadian singer.
Avril in Use
The best-known bearer is the Canadian musician Avril Lavigne, born in 1984. The French pronunciation stresses the second syllable, while many English speakers say AV-rul.
How Popular Is Avril?
In 2025, Avril was given to 108 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Avril Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Avril
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Avril Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Avril over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Avril
- French ah-VREEL
Avril in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
- Other forms
- Forms we hold no single language for — some are used across several, some are simply spelled differently.
- April
Sibling Names for Avril
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Avril — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Avril
What does the name Avril mean?
It's the French word for April, from the Latin Aprilis.
How do you pronounce Avril?
AV-ril in English and ah-VREEL in French.
Is Avril a French name?
Yes. It's the French month name, used as a girl's name in France, Ireland and beyond.
How popular is the name Avril?
In 2025, Avril was given to 108 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Is Avril a girl's or a boy's name?
Avril is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Avril?
Avril has 2 syllables.
When was Avril most popular?
Avril peaked in 2008, when 155 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
Is Avril a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Avril currently ranks #961 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.