All my life the spelling of my name has been a topic of conversation. Back in 1968, the year I was born,  the name "Crystal" was not popular but the spelling K-R-I-S-T-L was practically unheard of. 

The name Crystal continued to be rare until the mid-eighties when "Dynasty" became the number one rated television show. As "Krystal Carrington" became a household name, the name Crystal (in it's many spellings) skyrocketed in popularity. At that time, I was a little dissapointed to see my name apprehended by the masses but I took solace in the idea that my spelling was still unique. 
 

The spelling K-R-I-S-T-L and how it came to appear on my birth certificate is a continuing conundrum. Legend in the Smith klan had it that my parents were watching the 1968 Winter Olympics when a Swedish skiier named Crystal/Kristl appeared at the gate. My pregnant mother turned to my father and said, "What do you think of the name Crystal?" He said it was okay and six months later the name was typed next to my footprints. The argument continues to this day as to whether the spelling was already Kristl or whether my mother concocted that spelling. I have tried to research skiiers from those games to find out the truth but so far have had no luck. If anyone knows of specific information regarding a 1968 Olympian who might be my namesake, please write. 
 

The idea for this page came around 1996 as I began using the Web more and more. I'd created my first home page and wanted to see if my homepage would be listed in the results of search engine queries. Much to my surprise, my name did not appear, but lots of people in the Netherlands seemed to have the last name Kristl. This led me to believe that perhaps my mother had taken the name, verbatim from the surname of an Olympian. 

In 1997, as periodic "Ego Surfs" for "kristl" were performed, I began to find out that more than myself had MY spelling.  At first I was shocked, then chagrined :) I was letting go of something I thought made me universally unique.

Rather than just be frustrated by the loss of identity, I have begun chronicling and indexing all of us. I know it's weird and enormously vain but isn't that what the Internet provides an opportunity for? ...the compilation and presentation of information few care about besides the creator? 

If you are a Kristl and would like certain info removed, write to me. If you are a Kristl or know of one and would like to add information please write to me regarding that as well. If you are listed and would like to add info or develop a page for me to host--let me know. Please send pictures, stories of how you got your name, etc. etc. etc.!