Caitlyn Jenner explains why she didn't spell her name with a 'K'


June 4, 2015

Caitlyn Jenner sent shockwaves through the celebrity world when she revealed her new identity and name – but one question that fans were dying to ask was why the inspirational star decided to spell her name with a "C".

Unlike her ex-wife Kris Jenner, her daughters Kendall and Kylie and her stepdaughters Kim, Khloé and Kourtney Kardashian, Caitlyn bucked the family trend.

In a candid interview with Vanity Fair, of which she was this month's cover girl, Caitlyn admitted that she wanted to "break tradition" and avoid the "media associations that went with [the letter K]."

"It's one of the hardest things in life – choosing your own name," said Caitlyn Jenner

Actually settling on the name Caitlyn was also a difficult task, to the extent that she spent two years thinking about it. "It's one of the hardest things in life – choosing your own name," said Caitlyn, adding that the Miss America beauty pageant on TV had served as her inspiration.

The 65-year-old had also considered Cathy or Heather, but then when her assistant Rhonda also suggested Caitlyn that "sealed the deal".

"I love that name, too!" the star, who was previously known as Bruce Jenner before her transition, agreed.

© Photo: Getty Images

Caitlyn's two daughters Kendall and Kylie Jenner with her ex-wife Kris Jenner

On Monday the former Olympian made history when the magazine cover in which she appeared on was unveiled to the world.

In the interview conducted by Buzz Bissinger, Caitlyn, who has starred on Keeping Up with the Kardashians as Bruce, admitted that she was prepared to face criticism from those thinking it may all be a publicity stunt.

© Photo: Getty Images

Caitlyn admitted that she wanted to "break tradition" and not choose a name beginning with "K" unlike her stepdaughters Kim, Khloé and Kourtney Kardashian (pictured)

"I'm not doing it for money," Caitlyn told Vanity Fair. "I'm doing it to help my soul and help other people. If I can make a dollar, I certainly am not stupid. [I have] house payments and all that kind of stuff.

"I will never make an excuse for something like that. Yeah, this is a business but you don't go out and change your gender for a television show."

She added: "If I was lying on my deathbed and I had kept this secret and never ever did anything about it, I would be lying there saying, 'You just blew your entire life. You never dealt with yourself,' and I don't want that to happen."

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