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Author Topic: Choosing a Name  (Read 2322 times)

Cosmos

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Choosing a Name
« on: February 06, 2013, 09:33:18 pm »
I've recently entered Wicca and have found myself lacking a Wiccan name. I would like to find/make one that has meaning and resonates with me, but I'm not sure where to look to research meanings. Could anyone help?

Thanks!
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Queen of Wands

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Re: Choosing a Name
« Reply #1 on: February 06, 2013, 09:54:28 pm »
Quote from: Five More Years;95394
I've recently entered Wicca and have found myself lacking a Wiccan name. I would like to find/make one that has meaning and resonates with me, but I'm not sure where to look to research meanings. Could anyone help?

Thanks!



for "names", I like Nameberry. That's a good site (it's geared towards the expecting parents to be, but it's still the best name source I've found).

Also, just to say it, being Wiccan (or any other religion) doesn't require a name. If you feel you want one, there's no reason why you shouldn't have one. And if a name comes to you, then there's no reason not to take it.

Fireof9

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Re: Choosing a Name
« Reply #2 on: February 06, 2013, 09:55:13 pm »
Quote from: Five More Years;95394
I've recently entered Wicca and have found myself lacking a Wiccan name. I would like to find/make one that has meaning and resonates with me, but I'm not sure where to look to research meanings. Could anyone help?

Thanks!


I have never understood the craftname thing. We have it in our tradition as well and I still don't get the importance of it.
Really?  So, hey, want to go fishing?  I\'ve got a telescope, and it\'s going to be a dark night, so we should see the fish really well.
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Re: Choosing a Name
« Reply #3 on: February 06, 2013, 09:59:10 pm »
Quote from: Fireof9;95399
I have never understood the craftname thing. We have it in our tradition as well and I still don't get the importance of it.

 
I've always thought it as a sort of rite of passage, one of the first things you do when you enter a new tradition (or in some other traditions, a rite of passage you experience later).

Personally, I took on a Kemetic name as a sort of "craftname" to express my investment in Kemeticism and dedication to m'lady.
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Fireof9

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Re: Choosing a Name
« Reply #4 on: February 06, 2013, 10:03:47 pm »
Quote from: Shine;95400
I've always thought it as a sort of rite of passage, one of the first things you do when you enter a new tradition (or in some other traditions, a rite of passage you experience later).

Personally, I took on a Kemetic name as a sort of "craftname" to express my investment in Kemeticism and dedication to m'lady.

 
It makes sense that way. Part of the whole vibe and experience.

I took one, but for me it was really low on the ladder of importance, and nobody in the college calls me by it. I guess I have just always been happy that my parents named me Fireof9 so......... ;)
Really?  So, hey, want to go fishing?  I\'ve got a telescope, and it\'s going to be a dark night, so we should see the fish really well.
...what, I\'m not talking about fishing?  That\'s stargazing?  It\'s all doing-stuff, so it\'s the same thing, right?
-HeartShadow
 
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The Gwyddonic Order

Shine

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Re: Choosing a Name
« Reply #5 on: February 06, 2013, 10:10:59 pm »
Quote from: Fireof9;95401
It makes sense that way. Part of the whole vibe and experience.

I took one, but for me it was really low on the ladder of importance, and nobody in the college calls me by it. I guess I have just always been happy that my parents named me Fireof9 so......... ;)

 
I think naming's importance depends on the tradition. In Kemeticism, names are a Big Deal in terms of heka. I don't know about Gwyddon.
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Fireof9

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Re: Choosing a Name
« Reply #6 on: February 06, 2013, 10:16:32 pm »
Quote from: Shine;95402
I think naming's importance depends on the tradition. In Kemeticism, names are a Big Deal in terms of heka. I don't know about Gwyddon.

 
Names are important in Gwyddon, but not so much the Craft name. I think the craf name was a holdover from a college that had  a lot of Wiccan influence to it.(not dissin Wiccans, just a bit of Gwyddon history)
Finding your True Name is important though.
Really?  So, hey, want to go fishing?  I\'ve got a telescope, and it\'s going to be a dark night, so we should see the fish really well.
...what, I\'m not talking about fishing?  That\'s stargazing?  It\'s all doing-stuff, so it\'s the same thing, right?
-HeartShadow
 
Yesterday is history, Tomorrow is a mystery,Today is a gift,thats why the call it the present - Master Oogway

Finding the Owl -my blog
The Gwyddonic Order

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Re: Choosing a Name
« Reply #7 on: February 06, 2013, 10:23:50 pm »
Quote from: Fireof9;95405
Names are important in Gwyddon, but not so much the Craft name. I think the craf name was a holdover from a college that had  a lot of Wiccan influence to it.(not dissin Wiccans, just a bit of Gwyddon history)
Finding your True Name is important though.

 
Sounds like, at least in the context of Gwyddon and Wicca, what's supposed to be done with the name plays a big part. . . .
Leave your darkness with me, and I will make you shine.

Jenett

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Re: Choosing a Name
« Reply #8 on: February 06, 2013, 10:29:04 pm »
Quote from: RoselynLibera;95398

Also, just to say it, being Wiccan (or any other religion) doesn't require a name. If you feel you want one, there's no reason why you shouldn't have one. And if a name comes to you, then there's no reason not to take it.

 
There are traditions in which it's a requirement. (Though you're right, for many, it's a "this is a pleasant added optional extra")

In my tradition, it's a requirement to take one at 1st degree, and it's pretty common to make variations or take a new one at subsequent degrees. (I didn't at my 2nd, I did at my 3rd.) Names for us are a tool: if you call me the name I took at 1st (which I only ever use in small group ritual with people I *really* trust) it kicks me deeply and immediately into major ritual headspace.

IF you use the 3rd degree name (Althaea, in my case), it kicks me immediately into priestess mindset.

These things are handy.

The other thing is that we use names as "What we want to become more like" : they are very much a tool for guiding direction of change, so that we have some idea what we're aiming at. In, generally, a very symbolic sort of way, because names are complicated, and people are complicated, and no name is going to hit every facet of ourselves (or rather, a name that did would be unwieldy.) But "We're aiming at roughly the right star in the sky" is not a bad thing to help with.
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Fireof9

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Re: Choosing a Name
« Reply #9 on: February 06, 2013, 10:30:31 pm »
Quote from: Shine;95406
Sounds like, at least in the context of Gwyddon and Wicca, what's supposed to be done with the name plays a big part. . . .


I think it is in Wicca ( not sure ) but in Gwyddon its more about knowing your true name, then protecting it.
Really?  So, hey, want to go fishing?  I\'ve got a telescope, and it\'s going to be a dark night, so we should see the fish really well.
...what, I\'m not talking about fishing?  That\'s stargazing?  It\'s all doing-stuff, so it\'s the same thing, right?
-HeartShadow
 
Yesterday is history, Tomorrow is a mystery,Today is a gift,thats why the call it the present - Master Oogway

Finding the Owl -my blog
The Gwyddonic Order

PhantomQueen

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Re: Choosing a Name
« Reply #10 on: February 08, 2013, 04:52:12 pm »
Quote from: Jenett;95408
There are traditions in which it's a requirement. (Though you're right, for many, it's a "this is a pleasant added optional extra") ...

The other thing is that we use names as "What we want to become more like" : they are very much a tool for guiding direction of change, so that we have some idea what we're aiming at. In, generally, a very symbolic sort of way, because names are complicated, and people are complicated, and no name is going to hit every facet of ourselves (or rather, a name that did would be unwieldy.) But "We're aiming at roughly the right star in the sky" is not a bad thing to help with.

 
*This*  A name that identifies what I am or endeavour to be.  I might not have these characteristics yet, or all at the same time, but it's something to strive for.

Oíche

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Re: Choosing a Name
« Reply #11 on: February 08, 2013, 05:45:45 pm »
Quote from: Five More Years;95394
I've recently entered Wicca and have found myself lacking a Wiccan name. I would like to find/make one that has meaning and resonates with me, but I'm not sure where to look to research meanings. Could anyone help?

Thanks!

 
Do you have a particular interest in a particular world culture?
My 'craft' name is Cág. It's Irish for jackdaw which is a bird I was always fond of when I was a child as there were many around where I lived. I picked it because it seemed to fit well with me and also because jackdaws are a member of the crow family which are associated with the Morrighan so I felt it was a nod to Her also. :)
Maybe try looking for names in a different language- if you change your mind I'm sure it's fine to change your name. Or at least I've come across a few Wiccans and other pagans who have done this when they felt they 'outgrew' a name :)
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Re: Choosing a Name
« Reply #12 on: February 08, 2013, 06:44:33 pm »
Quote from: Five More Years;95394
I've recently entered Wicca and have found myself lacking a Wiccan name. I would like to find/make one that has meaning and resonates with me, but I'm not sure where to look to research meanings. Could anyone help?

Thanks!
I chose the name Cryfder, because in Welsh is means being strong! Since a lot of my practice is Brythonic and Welsh influenced I thought it fit my path. So i mean you can pull it from something that means something to you.
« Last Edit: February 08, 2013, 06:49:00 pm by Cabal »
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