There Are Three Ashleys On This Season Of "The Bachelor"

This is an unprecedented number of Ashleys.

Season 17 of ABC's "The Bachelor" starts Monday, January 7th.

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ABC helpfully created a "cheat sheet" to Bachelor Sean's potential conquests, reminding you to "Be sure to keep it close as you attempt to differentiate AshLee from Ashley H. and Ashley P."

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Which would be helpful, except that "AshLee" is pronounced the same way as the other two "Ashley's."

Who are differentiated by their last initials, as is "Bachelor" custom.

History indicates that Ashlee will probably go by "Ashlee F."

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Maybe it's a lucky name: former "Bachelorette" Ashley Hebert recently got married to her husband J.P. in an ABC special.

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Hebert was originally on Brad's second season of "The Bachelor," where she met her best friend, who was ALSO named Ashley.

Brad, Ashley H. and Ashley S. had to go on a three-way date and Ashley S. was rejected and sent home. It was awkward. (Though she's rebounded by hilariously blogging the subsequent seasons of the show.)

Double names of contestants on "Bachelor" shows isn't uncommon.

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In Ashley H's season of "The Bachlorette," she had to handle three Ryan's: Ryan Park, Ryan "Mickey" McLean and Ryan Miller. But everyone called "Mickey" Mickey, so it wasn't that confusing.

BUT WAIT. Let's zoom closer on that first photo of this season. There are 26 girls, not the usual 25:

And who is that blurred out face? Reality Steve reports that it's Kacie B., who was rejected by Ben in the last season of "The Bachelor."

Kacie B. (called that because there was another Casey on her season) knows what it's like to return to the show.

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She followed Ben to Switzerland because she didn't get enough closure.

So, to all contestants, Ashleys and non:

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Godspeed. (And don't end up lying on the floor.)