Choosing a Magikal Name

Sooner or later, most practitioners decide to take on a magickal name.  The reasons for this are varied, but for most, it is one important part of creating the magickal personality. This is a name that can be shared with your coven or order mates as a way to identify you as separate from your mundane everyday personality. Why do this? Well, it adds definition and power to the aspect of the self that is interested in the spiritual pursuit. Just like wearing a ritual robe helps you to step into a different mindset for practicing ritual, a magickal name will help you to identify with that sacred part of yourself.

A magickal name can evolve and change as you grow and change. Using the name William as example, he may have been known as Willy when he was a child, but as he grew he outgrew Willy and began having his friends call him Will. Professionally, he goes by William, and could turn the name into a magickal one for himself by emphasizing certain letters: Will I Am.

In certain traditions, you choose your name to begin with, and as you go through the ranks of initiation, you may be given a  new name, or an inner-order name. If you do choose your own name, there are many ways to go about doing so.  You can choose the name of a god or goddess that embodies the qualities you want to enhance or be associated with. Your patron may give you your name in meditation. When choosing my original magickal name, I did it by researching words in ancient languages, and making a huge list of words and their meanings, and kept dwindling it down intuitively until I had eliminated all but the one I chose for myself.

When deciding on your name, try not to limit or constrain yourself. Trees, stones, animals, gurus, Gods & Goddesses, planets, flowers, fanciful creatures, even movie personalities are all valid inspirations. But don’t choose  Dr. Evil; that’s already taken, and yours should be a creative expression of who you are.

Once you have your magickal name, another decision you will be faced with is whom you decide to share it with. Some feel that their name is theirs alone, a supremely sacred and private part of yourself. Others will share it only with members of their coven or order.  I also know people who go by their magickal name at all times.  Just like some people choose to keep their sun sign private because they are concerned of sharing such personal and potentially powerful information with others, and others decide to have it tattooed on their body for all to see, know, and identify them by, it’s all a matter of personal choice.

MELA AMARA