“Which Kaitlyn?” is what people say when they hear my name.  Everybody knows someone named Kaitlyn. 

It sounds very bland, like the name could belong to anyone.  The many spellings of the name don’t help. I am always asked how to spell the name that is equivalent of black coffee. Simple and boring as junk mail.  

The name comes from Ireland.  I love Ireland.  Ireland makes me think of rainy days and green hills. Calmness.  Kaitlyn doesn’t feel like that.  I want my name to feel like rolling down a big hill in a beautiful place.

Kaitlyn makes me think of an office building. A lady in a cubicle somewhere who had big dreams that she never got to achieve.  She wanted to be important.  She ended up being someone's accountant.  

Kaitlyn.  Pure.  I wouldn’t consider myself pure. I don’t consider anyone completely pure.  Purity is rare, unlike my name.  So I don’t think the translation fits well.

I could use nicknames, but the most popular ones don’t make sense.  Katie sounds too childish.  Kate is even more basic somehow.  Lynn sounds like an old lady’s name. 

So I guess Kaitlyn will have to be me.