diff --git a/app/helpers/projects_helper.rb b/app/helpers/projects_helper.rb
index 6512617a02d..aeb9b8be722 100644
--- a/app/helpers/projects_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/projects_helper.rb
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ module ProjectsHelper
     classes = %W[avatar avatar-inline s#{opts[:size]}]
     classes << opts[:avatar_class] if opts[:avatar_class]
 
-    avatar = avatar_icon(author, opts[:size])
+    avatar = avatar_icon_for_user(author, opts[:size])
     src = opts[:lazy_load] ? nil : avatar
 
     image_tag(src, width: opts[:size], class: classes, alt: '', "data-src" => avatar)
diff --git a/app/views/admin/users/_user.html.haml b/app/views/admin/users/_user.html.haml
index 3b85586e45b..bbfeceff5b9 100644
--- a/app/views/admin/users/_user.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/admin/users/_user.html.haml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 %li.flex-row
   .user-avatar
-    = image_tag avatar_icon(user), class: "avatar", alt: ''
+    = image_tag avatar_icon_for_user(user), class: "avatar", alt: ''
   .row-main-content
     .user-name.row-title.str-truncated-100
       = link_to user.name, [:admin, user]
diff --git a/app/views/admin/users/show.html.haml b/app/views/admin/users/show.html.haml
index 101667508a9..ec3be869797 100644
--- a/app/views/admin/users/show.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/admin/users/show.html.haml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
         = @user.name
       %ul.well-list
         %li
-          = image_tag avatar_icon(@user, 60), class: "avatar s60"
+          = image_tag avatar_icon_for_user(@user, 60), class: "avatar s60"
         %li
           %span.light Profile page:
           %strong
diff --git a/app/views/discussions/_discussion.html.haml b/app/views/discussions/_discussion.html.haml
index 205320ed87c..8b9fa3d6b05 100644
--- a/app/views/discussions/_discussion.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/discussions/_discussion.html.haml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   .timeline-entry-inner
     .timeline-icon
       = link_to user_path(discussion.author) do
-        = image_tag avatar_icon(discussion.author), class: "avatar s40"
+        = image_tag avatar_icon_for_user(discussion.author), class: "avatar s40"
     .timeline-content
       .discussion.js-toggle-container{ data: { discussion_id: discussion.id } }
         .discussion-header
diff --git a/app/views/events/_event.atom.builder b/app/views/events/_event.atom.builder
index 38741fe6662..d56234e6c1a 100644
--- a/app/views/events/_event.atom.builder
+++ b/app/views/events/_event.atom.builder
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ xml.entry do
   # eager-loaded. This allows us to re-use the user object's Email address,
   # instead of having to run additional queries to figure out what Email to use
   # for the avatar.
-  xml.media   :thumbnail, width: "40", height: "40", url: image_url(avatar_icon(event.author))
+  xml.media   :thumbnail, width: "40", height: "40", url: image_url(avatar_icon_for_user(event.author))
 
   xml.author do
     xml.username event.author_username
diff --git a/app/views/layouts/header/_default.html.haml b/app/views/layouts/header/_default.html.haml
index e7fc83a8d04..1d00ae928f6 100644
--- a/app/views/layouts/header/_default.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/layouts/header/_default.html.haml
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
                   = todos_count_format(todos_pending_count)
             %li.header-user.dropdown
               = link_to current_user, class: user_dropdown_class, data: { toggle: "dropdown" } do
-                = image_tag avatar_icon(current_user, 23), width: 23, height: 23, class: "header-user-avatar qa-user-avatar"
+                = image_tag avatar_icon_for_user(current_user, 23), width: 23, height: 23, class: "header-user-avatar qa-user-avatar"
                 = sprite_icon('angle-down', css_class: 'caret-down')
               .dropdown-menu-nav.dropdown-menu-align-right
                 %ul
diff --git a/app/views/notify/pipeline_failed_email.html.haml b/app/views/notify/pipeline_failed_email.html.haml
index 8eb3f2d5192..13b591533ba 100644
--- a/app/views/notify/pipeline_failed_email.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/notify/pipeline_failed_email.html.haml
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@
             triggered by
           - if @pipeline.user
             %td{ style: "font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:15px;line-height:1.4;vertical-align:middle;padding-right:5px;padding-left:5px", width: "24" }
-              %img.avatar{ height: "24", src: avatar_icon(@pipeline.user, 24, only_path: false), style: "display:block;border-radius:12px;margin:-2px 0;", width: "24", alt: "" }/
+              %img.avatar{ height: "24", src: avatar_icon_for_user(@pipeline.user, 24, only_path: false), style: "display:block;border-radius:12px;margin:-2px 0;", width: "24", alt: "" }/
             %td{ style: "font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:15px;font-weight:500;line-height:1.4;vertical-align:baseline;" }
               %a.muted{ href: user_url(@pipeline.user), style: "color:#333333;text-decoration:none;" }
                 = @pipeline.user.name
diff --git a/app/views/notify/pipeline_success_email.html.haml b/app/views/notify/pipeline_success_email.html.haml
index bae37292d62..a4ca8269c36 100644
--- a/app/views/notify/pipeline_success_email.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/notify/pipeline_success_email.html.haml
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@
             triggered by
           - if @pipeline.user
             %td{ style: "font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:15px;line-height:1.4;vertical-align:middle;padding-right:5px;padding-left:5px", width: "24" }
-              %img.avatar{ height: "24", src: avatar_icon(@pipeline.user, 24, only_path: false), style: "display:block;border-radius:12px;margin:-2px 0;", width: "24", alt: "" }/
+              %img.avatar{ height: "24", src: avatar_icon_for_user(@pipeline.user, 24, only_path: false), style: "display:block;border-radius:12px;margin:-2px 0;", width: "24", alt: "" }/
             %td{ style: "font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:15px;font-weight:500;line-height:1.4;vertical-align:baseline;" }
               %a.muted{ href: user_url(@pipeline.user), style: "color:#333333;text-decoration:none;" }
                 = @pipeline.user.name
diff --git a/app/views/profiles/show.html.haml b/app/views/profiles/show.html.haml
index 5c76d2d8f51..110736dc557 100644
--- a/app/views/profiles/show.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/profiles/show.html.haml
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@
             or change it at #{link_to Gitlab.config.gravatar.host, 'https://' + Gitlab.config.gravatar.host}
     .col-lg-8
       .clearfix.avatar-image.append-bottom-default
-        = link_to avatar_icon(@user, 400), target: '_blank', rel: 'noopener noreferrer' do
-          = image_tag avatar_icon(@user, 160), alt: '', class: 'avatar s160'
+        = link_to avatar_icon_for_user(@user, 400), target: '_blank', rel: 'noopener noreferrer' do
+          = image_tag avatar_icon_for_user(@user, 160), alt: '', class: 'avatar s160'
       %h5.prepend-top-0= _("Upload new avatar")
       .prepend-top-5.append-bottom-10
         %button.btn.js-choose-user-avatar-button{ type: 'button' }= _("Choose file...")
diff --git a/app/views/projects/jobs/_user.html.haml b/app/views/projects/jobs/_user.html.haml
index 83f299da651..461d503f95d 100644
--- a/app/views/projects/jobs/_user.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/projects/jobs/_user.html.haml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 by
 %a{ href: user_path(@build.user) }
   %span.hidden-xs
-    = image_tag avatar_icon(@build.user, 24), class: "avatar s24"
+    = image_tag avatar_icon_for_user(@build.user, 24), class: "avatar s24"
     %strong{ data: { toggle: 'tooltip', placement: 'top', title: @build.user.to_reference } }
       = @build.user.name
   %strong.visible-xs-inline= @build.user.to_reference
diff --git a/app/views/projects/pipeline_schedules/_pipeline_schedule.html.haml b/app/views/projects/pipeline_schedules/_pipeline_schedule.html.haml
index a8692b83b07..55d0e8bb7f9 100644
--- a/app/views/projects/pipeline_schedules/_pipeline_schedule.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/projects/pipeline_schedules/_pipeline_schedule.html.haml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
         = s_("PipelineSchedules|Inactive")
     %td
       - if pipeline_schedule.owner
-        = image_tag avatar_icon(pipeline_schedule.owner, 20), class: "avatar s20"
+        = image_tag avatar_icon_for_user(pipeline_schedule.owner, 20), class: "avatar s20"
         = link_to user_path(pipeline_schedule.owner) do
           = pipeline_schedule.owner&.name
     %td
diff --git a/app/views/search/results/_snippet_blob.html.haml b/app/views/search/results/_snippet_blob.html.haml
index c4a5131c1a7..57a0b64bfd5 100644
--- a/app/views/search/results/_snippet_blob.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/search/results/_snippet_blob.html.haml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     = snippet.title
     by
     = link_to user_snippets_path(snippet.author) do
-      = image_tag avatar_icon(snippet.author), class: "avatar avatar-inline s16", alt: ''
+      = image_tag avatar_icon_for_user(snippet.author), class: "avatar avatar-inline s16", alt: ''
       = snippet.author_name
     %span.light= time_ago_with_tooltip(snippet.created_at)
   %h4.snippet-title
diff --git a/app/views/search/results/_snippet_title.html.haml b/app/views/search/results/_snippet_title.html.haml
index aef825691e0..65710c09a89 100644
--- a/app/views/search/results/_snippet_title.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/search/results/_snippet_title.html.haml
@@ -18,6 +18,6 @@
     %span
       by
       = link_to user_snippets_path(snippet_title.author) do
-        = image_tag avatar_icon(snippet_title.author), class: "avatar avatar-inline s16", alt: ''
+        = image_tag avatar_icon_for_user(snippet_title.author), class: "avatar avatar-inline s16", alt: ''
         = snippet_title.author_name
       %span.light= time_ago_with_tooltip(snippet_title.created_at)
diff --git a/app/views/shared/members/_member.html.haml b/app/views/shared/members/_member.html.haml
index 71878e93255..a6a1ceca640 100644
--- a/app/views/shared/members/_member.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/shared/members/_member.html.haml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 %li.member{ class: dom_class(member), id: dom_id(member) }
   %span.list-item-name
     - if user
-      = image_tag avatar_icon(user, 40), class: "avatar s40", alt: ''
+      = image_tag avatar_icon_for_user(user, 40), class: "avatar s40", alt: ''
       .user-info
         = link_to user.name, user_path(user), class: 'member'
         %span.cgray= user.to_reference
diff --git a/app/views/shared/milestones/_issuable.html.haml b/app/views/shared/milestones/_issuable.html.haml
index 14395bcc661..479b7270b28 100644
--- a/app/views/shared/milestones/_issuable.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/shared/milestones/_issuable.html.haml
@@ -28,4 +28,4 @@
       - assignees.each do |assignee|
         = link_to polymorphic_path(issuable_type_args, { milestone_title: @milestone.title, assignee_id: assignee.id, state: 'all' }),
                   class: 'has-tooltip', title: "Assigned to #{assignee.name}", data: { container: 'body' } do
-          - image_tag(avatar_icon(assignee, 16), class: "avatar s16", alt: '')
+          - image_tag(avatar_icon_for_user(assignee, 16), class: "avatar s16", alt: '')
diff --git a/app/views/shared/milestones/_participants_tab.html.haml b/app/views/shared/milestones/_participants_tab.html.haml
index 1615871385e..fe83040c168 100644
--- a/app/views/shared/milestones/_participants_tab.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/shared/milestones/_participants_tab.html.haml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   - users.each do |user|
     %li
       = link_to user, title: user.name, class: "darken" do
-        = image_tag avatar_icon(user, 32), class: "avatar s32"
+        = image_tag avatar_icon_for_user(user, 32), class: "avatar s32"
         %strong= truncate(user.name, length: 40)
         %div
           %small.cgray= user.username
diff --git a/app/views/shared/notes/_note.html.haml b/app/views/shared/notes/_note.html.haml
index 98e0161f7d1..bf359774ead 100644
--- a/app/views/shared/notes/_note.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/shared/notes/_note.html.haml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
         = icon_for_system_note(note)
       - else
         %a.image-diff-avatar-link{ href: user_path(note.author) }
-          = image_tag avatar_icon(note.author), alt: '', class: 'avatar s40'
+          = image_tag avatar_icon_for_user(note.author), alt: '', class: 'avatar s40'
           - if note.is_a?(DiffNote) && note.on_image?
             - if show_image_comment_badge && note_counter == 0
               -# Only show this for the first comment in the discussion
diff --git a/app/views/shared/notes/_notes_with_form.html.haml b/app/views/shared/notes/_notes_with_form.html.haml
index e11f778adf5..b3f865c5b47 100644
--- a/app/views/shared/notes/_notes_with_form.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/shared/notes/_notes_with_form.html.haml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 
         .timeline-icon.hidden-xs.hidden-sm
           %a.author_link{ href: user_path(current_user) }
-            = image_tag avatar_icon(current_user), alt: current_user.to_reference, class: 'avatar s40'
+            = image_tag avatar_icon_for_user(current_user), alt: current_user.to_reference, class: 'avatar s40'
         .timeline-content.timeline-content-form
           = render "shared/notes/form", view: diff_view, supports_autocomplete: autocomplete
 - elsif !current_user
diff --git a/app/views/shared/snippets/_snippet.html.haml b/app/views/shared/snippets/_snippet.html.haml
index 57b445321e2..491a8a41090 100644
--- a/app/views/shared/snippets/_snippet.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/shared/snippets/_snippet.html.haml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 - link_project = local_assigns.fetch(:link_project, false)
 
 %li.snippet-row
-  = image_tag avatar_icon(snippet.author), class: "avatar s40 hidden-xs", alt: ''
+  = image_tag avatar_icon_for_user(snippet.author), class: "avatar s40 hidden-xs", alt: ''
 
   .title
     = link_to reliable_snippet_path(snippet) do
diff --git a/app/views/users/show.html.haml b/app/views/users/show.html.haml
index 90aa1be30ac..c9a77d668a2 100644
--- a/app/views/users/show.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/users/show.html.haml
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@
 
     .profile-header
       .avatar-holder
-        = link_to avatar_icon(@user, 400), target: '_blank', rel: 'noopener noreferrer' do
-          = image_tag avatar_icon(@user, 90), class: "avatar s90", alt: ''
+        = link_to avatar_icon_for_user(@user, 400), target: '_blank', rel: 'noopener noreferrer' do
+          = image_tag avatar_icon_for_user(@user, 90), class: "avatar s90", alt: ''
 
       .user-info
         .cover-title
diff --git a/spec/helpers/projects_helper_spec.rb b/spec/helpers/projects_helper_spec.rb
index c0251bf7dc0..b67fee2fcc0 100644
--- a/spec/helpers/projects_helper_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/helpers/projects_helper_spec.rb
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ describe ProjectsHelper do
     let(:expected) { double }
 
     before do
-      expect(helper).to receive(:avatar_icon).with(user, 16).and_return(expected)
+      expect(helper).to receive(:avatar_icon_for_user).with(user, 16).and_return(expected)
     end
 
     it 'returns image tag for member avatar' do