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As a female given name, Afton is probably not from the place in Ireland, but from the river in Scotland. It seems to have been adopted as a given name in the 19th century under the influence of the Scottish poet Robert Burns' poem. The poem was put to music and was a very popular song in the 19th century.

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http://www.worldburnsclub.com/poems/translations/441.htm

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Most experts think Afton (like Avon) is from a ancient Celtic word which just meant "river".