Cerridwen Fallingstar photo by Susanna Frohman

A craft name, also referred to as a magical name, is a secondary religious name often adopted by practitioners of

Wicca Wicca (), also known as "The Craft", is a Modern paganism, modern pagan, syncretic, Earth religion, Earth-centred religion. Considered a new religious movement by Religious studies, scholars of religion, the path evolved from Western esote ...

and other forms of

Neopagan Modern paganism, also known as contemporary paganism and neopaganism, spans a range of new religious movements variously influenced by the beliefs of pre-modern peoples across Europe, North Africa, and the Near East. Despite some common simila ...

witchcraft Witchcraft is the use of Magic (supernatural), magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meanin ...

magic Magic or magick most commonly refers to: * Magic (supernatural), beliefs and actions employed to influence supernatural beings and forces ** ''Magick'' (with ''-ck'') can specifically refer to ceremonial magic * Magic (illusion), also known as sta ...

. Craft names may be adopted as a means of protecting one's privacy (especially for those who are "in the

broom closet A broom (also known as a broomstick) is a cleaning tool, consisting of usually stiff fibers (often made of materials such as plastic, hair, or corn husks) attached to, and roughly parallel to, a cylindrical handle, the broomstick. It is thus a v ...

"), as an expression of religious devotion, or as a part of an

initiation Initiation is a rite of passage marking entrance or acceptance into a group or society. It could also be a formal admission to adulthood in a community or one of its formal components. In an extended sense, it can also signify a transformatio ...

ritual. It may also be used as a protective method, as it is believed by some that one's "true name" can be used to identify that person for the purpose of magical activities (predominantly curses).

Pseudonym

The idea of using an alternate name as an attempt to develop a different persona is not restricted to Neopagans: Samuel Clemens' adoption of the name

Mark Twain Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, and essayist. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has produced," with William Fau ...

has been described as the adoption of a magical name. Before the emergence of Neopaganism similar pseudonyms appear to have been used by writers of

grimoire A grimoire () (also known as a book of spells, magic book, or a spellbook) is a textbook of magic, typically including instructions on how to create magical objects like talismans and amulets, how to perform magical spells, charms, and divin ...

s such as ''

The Book of Abramelin ''The Book of Abramelin'' tells the story of an Egyptian mage named Abraham, or Abra-Melin, who taught a system of magic to Abraham of Worms, a Jew from Worms, Germany, presumed to have lived from to . The system of magic from this book regai ...

'', attributed to the

Rabbi A rabbi (; ) is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as ''semikha''—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of t ...

Yaakov Moelin.

Uses

In traditional forms of Wicca, such as Gardnerian or Alexandrian, Craft names are typically adopted primarily out of regard for their symbolism. Craft names may be carefully guarded and used only with members of one's own

coven A coven () is a group or gathering of Witchcraft, witches. The word "coven" (from Anglo-Norman language, Anglo-Norman ''covent, cuvent'', from Old French ''covent'', from Latin ''conventum'' = convention) remained largely unused in English lan ...

. Some Wiccans will use two different Craft names, one with the general public (or the Neopagan community) and one with their covenmates. Wiccans who choose to conceal their religion to avoid

religious discrimination Religious discrimination is treating a person or group differently because of the particular religion they align with or were born into. This includes instances when adherents of different religions, denominations or non-religions are treate ...

may use a craft name when speaking to the press. The use of Craft names as online handles for Neopaganism- or Wicca-related groups and discussions has become increasingly common. The use (or over-use) of "outer court" Craft names (to be used outside of initiates-only or "inner-court" settings) is the subject of some debate. Some treat the choosing of a name as a solemn and significant event while others regard the practice as an affectation to be ridiculed.

Craft names of well-known individuals

Craft names of some famous Wiccans and other

witches include: * Dafo – the initiator of

Gerald Gardner Gerald Brosseau Gardner (13 June 1884 – 12 February 1964), also known by the craft name Scire, was an English Wiccan, author, and amateur anthropology, anthropologist and archaeology, archaeologist. He was instrumental in bringing the Moder ...

, thought to be Edith Woodford-Grimes. *Scire – a.k.a. Gerald Gardner. *Ameth – a.k.a.

Doreen Valiente Doreen Edith Dominy Valiente (4 January 1922 – 1 September 1999) was an English Wiccan who was responsible for writing much of the early religious liturgy within the tradition of Gardnerian Wicca. An author and poet, she also published five ...

, Gardner's first High Priestess. * Dayonis – a.k.a. Thelma Capel who replaced Ameth as Gardner's High Priestess. *Thelema – a.k.a. Patricia Crowther. *Artemis – a.k.a. Eleanor Bone. *Tanith – a.k.a. Lois Bourne. *Robert – a.k.a. Fred Lamond. *Olwen and Loic – a.k.a. Monique and Campbell 'Scotty' Wilson. *Robat – a.k.a.

Raymond Buckland Raymond Buckland (31 August 1934 – 27 September 2017), whose craft name was Robat, was an English writer on the subject of Wicca and the occult, and a significant figure in the history of Wicca, of which he was a high priest in both the Ga ...

, initiated by Olwen and responsible for providing a bridge for Wicca between the UK and USA. *Rowen – a.k.a. Rosemary Buckland, high priestess descended from Olwen, and Raymond Buckland's ex-wife *Verbius – a.k.a. Alex Sanders. *Aradia – a.k.a. Phyllis Curott, the story of the adoption of her craft name is told in her autobiographical '' Book of Shadows'' (1998) *

Silver RavenWolf Silver RavenWolf (born September 11, 1956) is an American writer on New Age magic, witchcraft and Wicca. Career RavenWolf received her Third Degree Initiation from a member of the Serpent Stone family, a pagan congregation. While studying und ...

– a.k.a. Jenine E. Trayer. *

Zsuzsanna Budapest Zsuzsanna Emese Mokcsay (born 1940) is a Hungarian-American writer, activist, playwright and songwriter living in America who writes about feminist spirituality and Dianic Wicca under the pen name Zsuzsanna Budapest or Z. Budapest. She is the ...

– a.k.a. ZsuZsanna Ernese Moukesay. *

Starhawk Starhawk (born Miriam Simos on June 17, 1951) is an American feminist and writer. She is known as a theorist of feminist neopaganism and ecofeminism. In 2013, she was listed in Watkins' ''Mind Body Spirit'' magazine as one of the 100 Most Spir ...

– a.k.a. Miriam Simos. * Cerridwen Fallingstar – a.k.a. Cheri Lesh. *

Lady Gwen Thompson Lady Gwen Thompson (September 16, 1928 – May 22, 1986) was the pseudonym of Phyllis Thompson, author and teacher of traditionalist initiatory witchcraft through her own organisation, the New England Covens of Traditionalist Witches. Thomp ...

– a.k.a. Phyllis Thompson (née Healy)

Pseudonym

Uses

Craft names of well-known individuals

See also

References

Further reading