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Spiritualitea Recommends: The Complete Book of Magical Names by phoenix mcfarland Exotic Names : For Babies and Beyond by allison l. jones The Language of Names by justin kaplan, anne bernays

Taking a magickal name isn't necessary to being a good witch, but many witches do have magickal names. As you know, names hold power. When someone knows your name they can learn information about you, for good or ill. You also go by many different names depending on who is addressing you. While someone might be "Samantha" to her mother, she might also be "Ms. Smith" to strangers or folks very much younger than herself, and "Sam" to her friends. Each name carries a different connotation and gives you hints as to how someone is relating to you and how you should act.

Magickal names are no different. Since very few individuals are raised Pagan or Wiccan, they usually undergo a process of spiritual rebirth. Dedication and Initiation in many Wiccan traditions are ceremonies to mark rites of passage in a young witch's life. A new name accompanies this birth of the new self. Some Wiccans take two names when they are initiated -- a public name and a private name. The first is the name that you will go by in ritual and among friends. The second is a name known only to you and your patron deities ,and possibly to other coven members, only to be used within sacred space.

Magickal names are usually chosen by the individual for their personal meaning. Some may take a goddess name, others choose the name of a fictional character they have admired, still others look to nature for terms that embody traits they posess or wish to exhibit. Naturally, take care when choosing a name. Just as you would when naming a new baby, be mindful of how the name sounds, what negative connotations it might posess, whether it lends strength to you or whether it distracts or detracts from who you want to be in the community. There's a reason jokes are made about pagan names like "Lady Tulip Moondrip" -- it's hard to take a name like that, or the person using it, very seriously.

Magickal names also serve as a psychic and psychological trigger. When someone addresses you by your magickal name, you know that you should probably be in a spiritual frame of mind, or the other individual knows you through your religious affiliation. Chanting the magickal names of members is a good way for coven members to feel bonded to each other and to raise power that strengthens their connection. And referring to yourself by your magickal name serves to remind you of your path and why you chose it.

So what's my story? When I began learning about the Craft, one of the things I read about was taking a magickal name. I chose the name of one of my favorite birds, the sparrow. As it happened, I was a meek, timid person, so the name of a very small bird fit. When I began preparing for my first degree initiation, my coven priestess suggested I look for a new name, as "Sparrow" no longer fit. She was absolutely right. Over those three years, I had broken out of my timid shell and become much a more fiery individual. At the same time, I seem to be constantly reinventing myself by virtue of necessity. A friend suggested "Phoenix" to me and it felt right to me.

I've found that the more I research about the phoenix, the more I realize that it suits me. Learning about the origin of your magickal name or its symbolic history can also make that name more meaningful for you. And you may find that the more you learn about your name, the more suprises you find about your desires, strengths and purpose.

The process of choosing a magickal name can sometimes be a difficult task. Don't be afraid to use conventional methods, either -- your magickal name can be the mundane name you always wanted or one that has an appropriate meaning from the language where it originated. Do as much research as possible and make the process an additional facet of your spiritual growth. You may find that you not only gain a new name, but a stronger tie to a particular pantheon or tradition, a new connection to nature, and deeper knowledge of yourself.