How I Got My Name: I am named after Ava Gardener. She was in a film called “Mogambo” with Clark Gable. Her character was “Honey Bear Kelly.” Gable called her “Kelly” throughout the picture. (Sadly, ‘Honey Bear’ was omitted by my parents.)
My dad was 22 years old when he saw the film. He was an enlisted Air Force guy in England. He was so enthralled with Ava he promised himself he would have a Kelly some day. Many years later, he did.
How I Got My Middle Name: I have two. This is about the first one. The “L” one. The English hate the Irish, so my middle name is Laura. My English Cornish great-grandmother was very upset when she heard that my parents planned to name me Kelly. So to make her feel better, they named me Laura after her.
They tell me it helped her.
How did you get your name?
West Coast Grrlie Blather 
Every grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather and a few of the great-great-greats had it or variations of it. I really hate my first name. The middle “Joseph” was picked because it was my Dad’s favorite uncle and I have to admit he was a pretty cool uncle.
My full name is “Linda Sue,” but I’ve never been called Linda. I think it’s because my mom was Japanese and she pronounced it “Rinda.”
I was 11, and we had just moved. For the past 4 years (since moving to the US from Israel), I had attended a private Jewish school, and was now in 5th grade at a public school, where no one could properly pronounce my name. So, after spending much time looking over the Mets’ 1987 roster, I picked a new one. Dave, after Keith Hernandez’ backup at first base.
True story.
I got my name from an ego inflated hack writer of the 19th Century, a real bloviator.
My grandfather was hot for a San Diego weather girl whose name I received.