Pure Hedge...or is it?

For years, my mom has made fun of my last name, Privett, for being derived from the word "privet". A privet is cultivated mostly in European countries. It is a plant, usually an unruly hedge, that can grow to heights of 15 feet and be a substitute for a fence or property enclosure. Not only did my mom think it was hilarious that I, for one, was not even growing past five feet, but that my father also shared the name. Therefore, he was an unruly hedge by association. After their divorce, my mom returned to her Italian-rooted last name, Fontanetta. I always believed this name to be elegant, flowing from the tongue (as soon as you could get through saying it a first time). However, this assignment has completely changed my opinion.
My first name, Kaitlyn, is derived from Celtic/Gaelic language. It means "pure". I've done my share of impure things, but I always hold my name to be true in that I am pure of heart and mind. I try not to judge people before I know them and to enter and conflict I face unbiased. I push myself to do the right thing, even when I know it isn't always what I want. I also take pride in knowing Kaitlyn was never in the top 50 baby names, at least for the past 18 years. This shows a certain unique quality that I believe reflects itself in my quirky personality.
Finding out the true meaning of Privett was the greatest triumph in this short assignment. It's meaning is not andything related to plants, nor the topic of vegitation. It is of Welsh decent, and comes from the Middle English word "prou", best defined as "brave" or "valiant". I consider myself to face challenges head-on when they arise, but I was not completely rid of my mother's taunting for my short stature. Upon further reading about the name, I discovered my saving grace; "-et" or "-ot" are two commonly used suffixed in Welsh names. This brings my last name new meaning, because the suffixes translate into the word "small"! Originally, the name was a nickname, not a last name, that meant "someone small, but brave". No more ridicule for me! My name is dead-on!

Kaitlyn Privett
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