Most (maybe all) pagans choose an other name. Some of them want to stay anonymous, other prefer to use an other name when they practice their beliefs. This new name represents the personality, has a link with mythology or are chosen for the "magical power" they hold. This is what we call a craft name. It can be given by a friend or can be chosen by the person.
You can see a craft name like a kind of "protection", not a great protection but with it, one can stay anonymous not giving out a personal information like their real name. The fact is, a lot of pagans have to live with discrimination so if you don't give your real name, people will not be able to recognize you (for a awhile). People on the web mostly use their craft name to protect their private life.
Nobody knows where the idea of a craft name came from. I'm not really sure if our ancestors used magicals names like Silver Moon. Maybe it started with G. Gardner but now in the year 2002, a craft name is a common thing. It's more like a nickname. |
