According to the definition, Kevin means “handsome and beautiful.”  It’s like a kite floating in the wind.  It’s like the color blue.  Maybe even the dull, yet comforting gray of the sky on a cloudy day.  It’s strong but not overpowering.  It’s cute but not childish.  

It’s a name that came to my mother out of thin air.  She said she liked the ring of it.  Usually a name is meticulously picked, like a blueberry in a vast field.  But not in this case.  The name came to my mother and she went with it.

Others say my name projects images of innocence, even sweetness.  It looks like a little baby laying in its cradle or a white dove passing overhead.  Even a fawn first learning how to walk.  Although I can’t see it with my full name, I can see it with my nickname:  Kev.  

When I hear Kev, all I can think about is the feeling of pink cotton candy or a fluffy white area rug.  Kevin roars like an orchestra at the climax of a classical piece.  Kev flows like a lullaby sung before a sunset with vivid pink and orange streaks.  Kevin comes at you like a linebacker rushing free to the quarterback.  Kev glides like a football spiraling through the air.  Kevin resounds like waves crashing into a shoreline.  Kev trickles like a quiet river at dawn.

Both Kev and Kevin highlight different aspects of my personality.  Kev highlights my laidback and soft side–the temperament I have around friends and family–my external temperament.  Kev comes to light when I sing, write, or express myself–my internal temperament.  It highlights my intensity, my competitive nature, and my perfectionism.  I’ve come to find that my internal voice rings louder than my external voice.

There are times when I feel as though my name sounds weird or awkward, but everyone shares that feeling.  When you hear the same word tens of thousands of times throughout your lifetime it starts to sound a little odd.  But regardless of the amount of times I’ve heard it, it’s my name, and it’s all of the things I’ve mentioned.  Every last one.  From the kite, to the color blue, to much more.  All of these things are what make me, me–Kevin.