Update to Kay’s Name

My daughter, Kay, posted a response to the Celebrate Your Name Week. She related the background of receiving her name and said, “Even though I’ve heard this story many times I’m sure I’ll get this wrong but luckily Mom can correct me and add to it so I’ll have it in writing to get right the next time.”

Have you ever noticed when people are telling about themselves and their children they always say something like, “I’ve got two beautiful children”? None of us would ever expect anyone to say, I’ve got two really ugly kids but I love them any way.” When Kay was born, Wayne and I were definitely expecting a boy [see Kay’s post, “My Birth,” of February 6, 2009] and when our baby was, in fact, a girl, we were unprepared for a name. In searching for a name, I chose one to represent the ultimate representation of beauty I knew personally in hopes she would have those qualities of personal attractiveness, kindness, intelligence, sociability to allow her to be well liked.

For fun, I thought I’d include the picture from the yearbook of my junior year (once again, yearbook scans aren’t great). Kay Lynne Anderson was a senior and Kay is correct in stating that I thought Kay Lynne was the prettiest girl I’d seen.

Kay Lynne Anderson - 1957 Redskin Sweetheart

I don’t know whether the school had the same difficulty with spelling her middle name or if officially her middle name was spelled ‘Lynn,’ but on her signature, she signed my yearbook as Kay Lynne.

It is true that my college roommate was named Kay Brown [following her second marriage her name was Kay Anderson] and I loved her then and still do to this day; however, her name really didn’t enter into the process of selection for my daughter’s name other than just general good feelings about the name and the knowledge that this Kay is talented, bright, funny, a Christian and a great friend – all qualities you would hope to be evidenced in your child.

In assessing the outcome of my hopes for my daughter: Kay is beautiful, intelligent, kind, friendly, bright, funny, well liked, a Christian and has even, now that we are both adults, become a great friend.