5 Things you didn't know about former WWE Superstar Kelly Kelly (Barbie Blank)
Barbie Blank calls herself "the All American girl," and the Jacksonville, Florida native has certainly lived up to that moniker by living out the American Dream. The former gymnast and bikini model received little in the way of professional wrestling training, but through sheer grit and determination worked her way to the very top of WWE.
Kelly Kelly is a former ECW Superstar, a former Divas Champion, and most recently the first-ever woman to win the 24/7 Championship. She has also achieved stardom outside the wrestling ring in the reality television world, as the star of the show WAGS.
Blank recently opened up on the Chasing Glory with Lilian Garcia podcast where she revealed several fascinating details that may take professional wrestling fans by surprise.
Without any further adieu, here are five things you didn't know about Kelly Kelly.
#5 She couldn't use her name in WWE
Kelly Kelly was born Barbara Jean Blank, but went by the name "Barbie," for short. She shares the nickname with the iconic Mattel toy, which presented a unique challenge when she arrived in WWE.
Understanding that the nickname was instantly recognizable, she suggested that Barbie should be her ring name. WWE, however, was quick to nix the idea.
Blank told Lilian Garcia, "I tried to use it. They were like, 'Trademark!' Everybody asks that and I'm like, 'Trademarks.'"
Blank explained the process behind choosing Kelly Kelly as her ring name, "He had given me a list of names and he was like, 'What name do you like?' I liked Kelly. I was like, 'I like Kelly. That's cute.'"
Then the famous Mattel toy came back into focus,
"I think there was a Barbie named Kelly, so I was like, 'OK, it's kind of in the Barbie [realm]' It started off as Kelly and then it was Kelly Kelly and I was like, 'I'm not asking questions. It's cool. Nobody has two first names. Let's just go with it. It works. People are gonna catch on.'"
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