Aven: The Meaning of a Name

"Aven" (pronounced "Ay-vin") is a rare gem of a name found in many different languages and cultures. It is an anglicized version of an Irish name that means "fair radiance". In ancient Hebrew, the name means many things, including "mischief". The name appears in Confederate South, Old French, Middle English, and in gypsy culture (check out the Gypsy Kings song "Aven Aven").

Admittedly, we had some difficulty finding the right name for our second daughter, but "Aven" popped out at us when we first saw it (ask Sarah where, exactly). It was different, but not hard to pronounce. It had character. It was pretty. And like the name "Rory", it conveyed feminine strength.

The "A" name honored several members of our family, as did the "E" in Elizabeth (Aven's middle name). "Beth" was Sarah's middle name (before she got married), and so "Elizabeth" was fitting for that reason as well.

Now, both of our daughters have uncommon first names, with more classical middle names. Coincidentally, they also have names with the exact same number of letters: 4-9-5.