Conversation so far:
What was the first publication date?
The fictional Kitty Pryde first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #129 (January 1980).
How long was the publication?
CANNOTANSWER.
Who introduced the character Kitty Pryde?
Uncanny X-Men artist John Byrne named Kitty Pryde after a classmate he met in art school, Alberta College of Art and Design in Calgary in 1973.

Question: What is the story behind the name Kitty Pryde?
Self-contained rewrite: What is the story John Byrne created behind the name Kitty Pryde?