Kaitlyn Kelleher
ECI 430
Dr. Young
Action Portfolo
Part A:
The name Kelleher comes from the ancient Gaelic name Ó Céileachair (sounded
something like Oh-Kai-leah-car), and it is believed to have meant “dear companion.”
Family rumors claim that our ancestor was given his name in battle. My great-great
grandfather, an Irish sea captain who ferried immigrants to New York during the famine,
dropped the “O” on our name when he fell in love with a passenger and sold his ship.
My first name, Kaitlyn, is English and it is said to mean “pure-hearted” (which –
incidentally – works quite well with my Virgo zodiac sign). In other languages my name
seems to have alter-egos. According to an etymology site,
http://www.behindthename.com/name/kaitlyn , the Ancient Greeks used the name
“Alkaterine,” Hawaiians’ used “Kakalina,” and Norweighas used “Katrine.” Apparently
it comes from the Irish-English name Caitlin, and previously Katherine. Katherine comes
from the Greek Name “Αικατερινη (Aikaterine),” which etymologists debate to derive
from the name of the Grecian goddess Hectate (of magic), or “αικια (aikia) ‘torture.’”...
Etymologists also associate it with “καθαρος (katharos),” which is greek for “pure.” My
nickname, Kaity, means “lively” (which is true too).
According to the etymology site I cited previously, my middle name, Alyssa is a “variant
of Alicia;” however the spelling was influenced by the alyssum flower, which was
believed to “cure madness.” I have no idea what that is supposed to mean, but I like my
British grandmother’s interpretation. To Dorothy Wemyss (D. Wemyss, personal
communication, September 4, 2012), my middle name, Alyssa, denotes “flourishing.”
This could come from the influence of the alyssum flower. When I delved further into the
origins of “Alicia” I was lead to the Germanic name “Adalheidis,” which was “composed
of the elements adal [“noble”] and heid [“kind, sort, type”]. Perhaps I am somewhat
theatrical? This makes sense because teachers are often said to be “cousins to the actor.”
I’m not sure what motivated my parents to give me the names they did, but they seem to
fit very well. I don’t think that my parents know either because, when I asked them, they
said that, “it just sounded right.”
Citations:
Ancestor Search. (1997). Oxford Surname Origin & Last Name Meaning. Retrieved from
http://www.searchforancestors.com/surnames/origin/o/oxford.php.
Ancestry.com. (1997). Kelleher Family History. Retrieved from
http://www.ancestry.com/name-origin?surname=kelleher
Campbell, Mike. (1996). Behind the Name: The Etymology and History of First Names.
Retrieved from http://www.behindthename.com/name/kaitlyn