By Raven Dance
There is no right or wrong method on how to choose your magickal name. The only thing you should keep in mind is that your magickal name should represent your higher self and your personal values and ideas. Below there is a list of methods used to choose a magickal name with a few examples.
-Pick your magickal name from a favorite legend. - Beowulf, , Merlin
-Look to the Earth for names (flowers, trees, seasons, natural incidents, etc.). - Willow, Storm, Autumn
-Study the celestial universe and seek a name. - Star Vision
-Name yourself after animals. - Eagle, SheWolf
-Name yourself after elements. - FireMoon
-Name yourself after gems or herbs. - Ruby, Rowan, Amaranth
-Seek your magickal name through dreams and vision quests. - Azura Morganne
-Look on a pantheon of Gods/Goddesses for your name. Some pagans are named after their patron(ess). - Rhiannon, Druantia (addendum: my magical name- Brigid Amor - is based on partial patronage; Amor just happened to strike me as fitting well with Brigid)
-Find your name among mythological beasts. - Dragon, Phoenix, Unicorn
-Combine the essence of two animals. - RavenWolf, JaguarWoman
-Combine Earth things with animals. - StormCat
-Combine elements and animals. - ShadowHawk
-Combine colors and animals or elements or things from Earth. - RedStang, GoldenFire, Silver Springs
-Use divination tools (tarot, runes, etc.) to find your name.
-Use numerology to determine the letter or letters of your magickal name. There are a few, very simple books in the market that might help you with this.
-Scry for the name. Use a black mirror, a crystal ball, the flame of a candle, or a cauldron with black-tainted water to scry for your name.
When looking for a magickal name, watch around for signs and learn to "see" with your heart and energies for what feels right. Maybe while you are camping, you have seen deer around you peering at you for unusual long periods of time. You will be surprised how some pagans got their magickal names! I got mine, Raven Dance, when I saw it as a title of a movie while changing channels. I read it aloud, and as I did so I knew that was the one. It felt right! After thinking carefully about it, I realized that the raven symbolizes the goddess Morrigu, to whom I had taken as my patroness not so long ago. No wonder it felt good to be called Raven Dance! A friend of mine, Silver Springs, got hers from a Fleetwood Mac song. When I asked her about it, she told me at first that it aroused within her certain emotions she could not explain at the moment. Eventually she discovered her strong "pull" toward the element of Water. By the way, she is great doing cauldron magick! There are two good books you can read on this topic: The Sacred Power in Your Name by Ted Andrews and The Complete Book of Magickal Names by Phoenix McFarland.
When you have chosen one, do this ritual during Full or Waxing Moon. Cast the Circle and Say :
" Lord and Lady, Guardian spirits of the Four Directions
I have Cast this Circle on this night that I might be given a name,
A name by which I will be known to the Gods, and those within the Sacred Circle"
Among some pagans/wiccans/whatever, it is said that the magickal name but be kept secret mostly because the magickal name becomes one’s "true name" in the eyes of the goddess and in some mythos it is said that once you have one’s true name you can have control over them. However, this is contingent upon your belief and is not necessary if you don’t believe it to be.
Note: As I’ve said many times before, create your own rituals- don’t just find a ritual online and go through it blindly without understanding the purpose. It’s often much more meaningful (especially in ceremony such as this) to create your own incantations, ceremonies or chants from things that are important to you and based on your own traditions.
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