diff --git a/cypress/component/Avatar.spec.tsx b/cypress/component/Avatar.spec.tsx
index 5e7ad071a7..8c9153dc6d 100644
--- a/cypress/component/Avatar.spec.tsx
+++ b/cypress/component/Avatar.spec.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,22 @@
+import {DecorativeInitials} from '../../modules/react/avatar/stories/examples/DecorativeInitials';
 import {Image} from '../../modules/react/avatar/stories/examples/Image';
 
 describe('Avatar', () => {
+  context('Decorative initials', () => {
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      cy.mount(<DecorativeInitials />);
+    });
+
+    it('should not have any axe errors', () => {
+      cy.checkA11y();
+    });
+
+    it('should keep the initials visible but hidden from assistive technology beside the name', () => {
+      cy.findByText('NS').should('be.visible').and('have.attr', 'aria-hidden', 'true');
+      cy.findByText('Nicholas Smith').should('be.visible').and('not.have.attr', 'aria-hidden');
+    });
+  });
+
   context(`Image Example`, () => {
     beforeEach(() => {
       // Stub the remote image so this spec does not depend on picsum.photos (blocked/slow in CI).
diff --git a/modules/react/avatar/lib/Avatar.tsx b/modules/react/avatar/lib/Avatar.tsx
index 68fefe264a..13523f0fa8 100644
--- a/modules/react/avatar/lib/Avatar.tsx
+++ b/modules/react/avatar/lib/Avatar.tsx
@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@ export interface AvatarProps extends BaseAvatarProps, AvatarNameProps {
    */
   objectFit?: Property.ObjectFit;
   /**
-   * If true, the Avatar won't forward the `name` prop to the `alt` attribute of the image. This is useful when the Avatar is purely decorative and is rendered next to a name or text.
+   * If true, hides the image and fallback initials from assistive technology. This is useful when
+   * the Avatar is purely decorative and is rendered next to a name or text.
+   * @default false
    */
   isDecorative?: boolean;
 }
@@ -147,6 +149,7 @@ export const Avatar = createComponent('div')({
           <BaseAvatar.Name
             name={name}
             preferredInitials={preferredInitials}
+            aria-hidden={isDecorative}
             {...avatarStencil.parts.avatarName}
           />
         )}
diff --git a/modules/react/avatar/spec/Avatar.spec.tsx b/modules/react/avatar/spec/Avatar.spec.tsx
index f167b8374c..0f849c7123 100644
--- a/modules/react/avatar/spec/Avatar.spec.tsx
+++ b/modules/react/avatar/spec/Avatar.spec.tsx
@@ -1,9 +1,46 @@
-import {render, waitFor} from '@testing-library/react';
+import {fireEvent, isInaccessible, render, waitFor} from '@testing-library/react';
 import * as React from 'react';
 
 import {Avatar} from '../lib/Avatar';
 
 describe('Avatar', () => {
+  verifyComponent(Avatar, {props: {name: 'John Doe'}});
+
+  describe('decorative initials', () => {
+    it.each([undefined, false, true])(
+      'should expose initials only when isDecorative is not true (%s)',
+      isDecorative => {
+        const screen = render(<Avatar name="John Doe" isDecorative={isDecorative} />);
+        const initials = screen.getByText('JD');
+
+        expect(initials).toBeVisible();
+        expect(isInaccessible(initials)).toBe(isDecorative === true);
+      }
+    );
+
+    it('should hide custom decorative initials from assistive technology', () => {
+      const screen = render(<Avatar name="John Doe" preferredInitials="J" isDecorative />);
+
+      expect(screen.getByText('J')).toBeVisible();
+      expect(isInaccessible(screen.getByText('J'))).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('should keep decorative fallback initials hidden while loading and after an image error', () => {
+      const screen = render(<Avatar name="John Doe" url="/avatar.jpg" isDecorative />);
+      const initials = screen.getByText('JD');
+      const image = screen.container.querySelector('img')!;
+
+      expect(isInaccessible(initials)).toBe(true);
+      fireEvent.error(image);
+      expect(initials).toBeVisible();
+      expect(isInaccessible(initials)).toBe(true);
+
+      fireEvent.load(image);
+      expect(screen.queryByText('JD')).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+      expect(isInaccessible(image)).toBe(true);
+    });
+  });
+
   it('shoudld show the initials JD given the name is John Doe', () => {
     const screen = render(<Avatar name="John Doe" />);
 
diff --git a/modules/react/avatar/stories/Avatar.mdx b/modules/react/avatar/stories/Avatar.mdx
index 697ad7a248..905b13a2d7 100644
--- a/modules/react/avatar/stories/Avatar.mdx
+++ b/modules/react/avatar/stories/Avatar.mdx
@@ -1,16 +1,13 @@
 import {Meta} from '@storybook/blocks';
 
-import {
-  ExampleCodeBlock,
-  Specifications,
-  SymbolDoc,
-} from '@workday/canvas-kit-docs';
+import {ExampleCodeBlock, Specifications, SymbolDoc} from '@workday/canvas-kit-docs';
 
 import {Avatar} from '@workday/canvas-kit-react/avatar';
 
 import {Basic} from './examples/Basic';
 import {Custom} from './examples/Custom';
 import {Decorative} from './examples/Decorative';
+import {DecorativeInitials} from './examples/DecorativeInitials';
 import {Image} from './examples/Image';
 import {Size} from './examples/Size';
 import {Variant} from './examples/Variant';
@@ -82,11 +79,15 @@ For complete control over styling and behavior, use the `BaseAvatar` component:
 
 ### Accessibility
 
-If the Avatar is purely decorative, you can set the `isDecorative` prop to `true` to prevent the
-`name` prop from being forwarded to the `alt` attribute of the image.
+If the Avatar is rendered next to the user's name, set `isDecorative` to `true` to hide the image
+and fallback initials from assistive technology. This avoids announcing the same name twice.
 
 <ExampleCodeBlock code={Decorative} />
 
+The same applies when no image is provided:
+
+<ExampleCodeBlock code={DecorativeInitials} />
+
 ## Component API
 
 <SymbolDoc name="Avatar" fileName="/react/" hideDescription />
diff --git a/modules/react/avatar/stories/Avatar.stories.ts b/modules/react/avatar/stories/Avatar.stories.ts
index ca7a545717..0a0ba33811 100644
--- a/modules/react/avatar/stories/Avatar.stories.ts
+++ b/modules/react/avatar/stories/Avatar.stories.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import mdxDoc from './Avatar.mdx';
 import {Basic as BasicExample} from './examples/Basic';
 import {Custom as CustomExample} from './examples/Custom';
 import {Decorative as DecorativeExample} from './examples/Decorative';
+import {DecorativeInitials as DecorativeInitialsExample} from './examples/DecorativeInitials';
 import {Image as ImageExample} from './examples/Image';
 import {Size as SizeExample} from './examples/Size';
 import {Variant as VariantExample} from './examples/Variant';
@@ -46,3 +47,7 @@ export const Custom: Story = {
 export const Decorative: Story = {
   render: DecorativeExample,
 };
+
+export const DecorativeInitials: Story = {
+  render: DecorativeInitialsExample,
+};
diff --git a/modules/react/avatar/stories/examples/DecorativeInitials.tsx b/modules/react/avatar/stories/examples/DecorativeInitials.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7b65a9e805
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/react/avatar/stories/examples/DecorativeInitials.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+import {Avatar} from '@workday/canvas-kit-react/avatar';
+import {Text} from '@workday/canvas-kit-react/text';
+import {createStyles} from '@workday/canvas-kit-styling';
+import {system} from '@workday/canvas-tokens-web';
+
+const containerStyles = createStyles({
+  display: 'inline-flex',
+  gap: system.gap.sm,
+  alignItems: 'center',
+});
+export const DecorativeInitials = () => {
+  return (
+    <div className={containerStyles}>
+      <Avatar name="Nicholas Smith" isDecorative size="small" />
+      <Text>Nicholas Smith</Text>
+    </div>
+  );
+};