The name Kelly means bright-headed or a female warrior. The origin comes from the Irish, although I am not Irish.  Kelly originally was an all-male name but became used more for females during the 1960s.  

The name Kelly sounds ancient. I don’t know a single Kelly that is born within Gen Z, which I suppose makes it unique. Lots of people confuse me and my mom's.  Her name is Megan.  People assume that she is Kelly and I am Megan because the name Kelly is older.  

My name is like the ocean.  The dolphins jumping through the waves, the people tanning at the beach, the damp hair blowing with the breeze, the calm tides brushing the shells to shore.  Kelly, the color of the ocean.  Not the Pacific Ocean, but the coast of the Indian Ocean.  The color of Listerine, Cool Mint mouthwash. 

My mom liked the name Alexis, Lindsey, Kylie, and Emily.  My dad liked the name Jenny, or Heidi, and didn’t really have any other names picked out.  They could never agree on any name that sounded right for me.  But finally, they agreed on the name Kelly.    

For some odd reason, I really liked the name Heidi.  During second grade, I would always tell my parents that I was going to change my name to Heidi when I was 18, but now I wouldn’t name myself Heidi if I had the choice. 

I definitely wouldn’t have picked the name Kelly, but there’s nothing I can do about that.  My name never had a meaning behind it, but it was the only name my parents could agree on.  Thank god they had no children after me or else their name would’ve been something even worse. 

I believe that the calmness of the ocean relates to my peaceful personality.  The Kelly, the color blue, not a dark blue but like a Caribbean Blue.  The ocean, the calm waves passing by as people relax on the beach.  A dusty, old journal.  Something old my name sounds old.