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Help[Opinions] Kelly?
What do you think of Kelly on a male? I've known about 3 in my life, but many more female Kellys/Kellies.
Personally, I don't like Kelly on a girl as I find it vapid, but its my mothers name and she is anything but! In fact, she was named that because they wanted a boy. I do, however, like it on a boy. I picture an Irish immigrant newsie for some reason.
Somehow, I feel other people won't be able to get girls out of their head when they think about it, much like the Lindseys, Tracys and Ashleys of today.
Personally, I don't like Kelly on a girl as I find it vapid, but its my mothers name and she is anything but! In fact, she was named that because they wanted a boy. I do, however, like it on a boy. I picture an Irish immigrant newsie for some reason.
Somehow, I feel other people won't be able to get girls out of their head when they think about it, much like the Lindseys, Tracys and Ashleys of today.
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All but a few of the Kellys I've known were female, but I love it for a boy. I'd love to see it make a comeback.
I predict just about everyone would assume a Kelly was female, but I also think they'd quickly adapt as soon as they learned otherwise. A male Kelly is unusual, but it's not shocking. It's a well established unisex name.
I predict just about everyone would assume a Kelly was female, but I also think they'd quickly adapt as soon as they learned otherwise. A male Kelly is unusual, but it's not shocking. It's a well established unisex name.
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I personally would adjust instantly to a boy named Kelly. It's a unisex name to me, although I've known more female than male Kellys. I'd be surprised to see Kelly on a boy, though. I'd wonder if he was really Kellan.
I think the name is okay. It's sort of marshmallowy seeming. I prefer Kelsey on a male. I like Tracy on a man too ... but Lindsey and Ashley are women to me.
Kelly on a woman makes me think of curly. Like, lots of curly hair.
I think the name is okay. It's sort of marshmallowy seeming. I prefer Kelsey on a male. I like Tracy on a man too ... but Lindsey and Ashley are women to me.
Kelly on a woman makes me think of curly. Like, lots of curly hair.
This message was edited 6/15/2014, 10:35 AM
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The only Kelly I've ever known was a little girl for whom I used to babysit when I was a teenager. I haven't seen her since she was five years old, but she is forty-two now, wherever she is and whatever she's doing. I can't believe it---where has the time gone?
Kelly was well-established and popular as a girls' name when that Kelly was born. Kelly is one boys-name-gone-to-girls that I can still see as masculine, whereas others, such as Courtney and Ashley, I can't. I'm with you in that I prefer it on a boy. However, I also I agree with you in that I definitely think it's very well entrenched in most people's minds as a girls' name. Maybe, or probably, a boy Kelly wouldn't be teased, but I like to err on the side of a caution when it comes to that, so I'd never name a boy Kelly.
Kelly was well-established and popular as a girls' name when that Kelly was born. Kelly is one boys-name-gone-to-girls that I can still see as masculine, whereas others, such as Courtney and Ashley, I can't. I'm with you in that I prefer it on a boy. However, I also I agree with you in that I definitely think it's very well entrenched in most people's minds as a girls' name. Maybe, or probably, a boy Kelly wouldn't be teased, but I like to err on the side of a caution when it comes to that, so I'd never name a boy Kelly.
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Kelly, near as I can figure from what I've read, was like the "default" name for Irishmen in Ye Olde Days. Like Paddy but a bit different. I went through a phase as a teenage of liking old western stories, and there always seemed to be a drunk, temperamental but good-hearted Irish cook at the camp named Kelly or Kelley. It was never clear if Kelly was the first or last name, but I suspect Kelly was not used as a first name by many actual Irish people.
Kelly on a man is even more dated than Kelly on a woman. The principal of my daughter's school used to be a man named Kelly, and his last name was another surname that's popular as a girl's name, or used to be; also his last name was very similar in sound and spelling to Kelly so the whole combo looked like a stage name some 1980's hair-metal musician would give himself.
Kelly on a man is even more dated than Kelly on a woman. The principal of my daughter's school used to be a man named Kelly, and his last name was another surname that's popular as a girl's name, or used to be; also his last name was very similar in sound and spelling to Kelly so the whole combo looked like a stage name some 1980's hair-metal musician would give himself.
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I just don't care for the name itself. Kelly. It just sounds insubstantial to me. It's definitely better on a man than a woman, though. I agree with you there, and I agree with the vapidity of Kelly for a woman.
I actually don't like Lindsey, Ashley, or Tracy much on women OR men, but I do love Morgan and Aubrey on men. But I absolutely loathe these names on women.
Morgan and Aubrey just seem so... I don't know, strong and scrappy to me. Like they'd wear tweed caps. :)
I actually don't like Lindsey, Ashley, or Tracy much on women OR men, but I do love Morgan and Aubrey on men. But I absolutely loathe these names on women.
Morgan and Aubrey just seem so... I don't know, strong and scrappy to me. Like they'd wear tweed caps. :)
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