Avila

Avila is a feminine given name of Germanic origin, likely derived from the element avi, possibly related to Proto-Germanic roots connected to the concept of desired or wished-for. It is best known as a Spanish surname and place name — the city of Ávila in Castile — most famously associated with the 16th-century mystic and reformer Teresa of Ávila, whose widespread veneration helped carry the name into use as a given name across Spanish-speaking cultures. Related forms include Avilla and the masculine Avilo.