The Worlds of Katherine Kurtz

Jess McKinnon asks: Where did you come up with the name Kelson? I chose it for my SCA persona and haven't had much luck finding it in period as a first name. I've found it as a last name meaning "of or from Kelsey". Could you give me a direction in which to look or should I just give up and pick a new name?


Katherine Says: As I recall—remember, it's been more than thirty years ago!—Kelson comes from Keel-son, referring to the keel of a boat, and I think it may have been Viking in origin. That said, I very much doubt that you'll be able to get any SCA herald to approve the name, simply because it's so uniquely identifiable in fantasy literature. But it was a historical first name.