Name Magic

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Your name is powerful. It identifies you to others, telling them who you are. If others misspell your name, you are quick to point out their error. Down the ages, people have held beliefs about the magic of names and their meanings.  There was once a Gothic king, Theodatus, who wished to have an indication of his success or otherwise in battle by means of name omens. He was persuaded by a 'name-wizard' to shut up a number of pigs in a sty after giving Roman names to some of them and Gothic names to the others. After a few days the pigs with the Roman names were still alive. The pigs with the Gothic names were dead. The name-wizard accordingly predicted the outcome of the battle. In classical writings there are many references to the belief that names are omens of future events and to the natures of those who bear them. The third century Roman poet Decimus Magnus Ausonius stated: 'The supreme judge of the world bade that a man's name should be such as the character with which he created him.' Both the Romans and the English Puritans believed that someone given a 'virtue' name would eventually live up to his name. For a Roman soldier to gain favour with his general it helped if his parents had thought to call him Victor or Valorious. Bonum nomen bonum omen - 'a good name is a good omen' - was a common Roman proverb. Many Puritans in the 16th and 17th centuries gave their children 'virtue' or 'slogan' names. Most of these did not pass into general use.

Many God-fearing people would open the Bible to name their newborn, taking the first word they read at the top of the page. Hence, there is a recorded birth of a baby named 'Word'. 

There is a well-known story of the French Ambassadors who were sent to the court of King Alfonso in the 13th century to arrange a marriage between one of the Spanish king's daughters and Louis VIII. The elder daughter was the more beautiful and it was taken for granted that she would be chosen. When the ambassadors heard that her name was Urraca whilst her younger sister was called Blanche they immediately chose the latter. She was less beautiful in herself but she had the better name. Urraca, or 'magpie', would be an unpleasant sound to the French ears and its meaning was not favourable. The French ambassadors knew that the majority of their countrymen would believe that someone with a good name would be a good person. Blanche, meaning 'purity', spoke of 'whiteness', 'cleanliness', 'beauty'. It is easy to understand why it seemed a good omen.

Fairly common in many parts of the world is the belief that once someone knows your name you are somewhat in that person's power. The Indians of Guyana, members of many African tribes, Australian Aborigines, hill tribesmen of the Malay peninsula and many North American Indians are loath to reveal their names to anyone who is not a member of the family. They have been known to ask foreigners to write a name at random on a piece of paper. The paper will then be shown to any other foreigner who asks their name. As far as they are concerned, the name on the paper serves perfectly well as a label. Their real name is inextricably bound up with the innermost self and valued as highly as life itself. In a report published by Frank Boas in 1898, the Kwakiutl Indians of British Columbia regularly pawned their names for a temporary period. Until they redeemed their pledge they considered themselves anonymous or would use another name. Getting their name back was more important to them than repossessing family heirlooms in Western society. Without the right to use their own name they were without an identity. In fact, in Western society names are used to endorse a commercial product and the name-magic inherent in this shows a different way of thinking.  Certain names have become powerful workers of magic and people will pay to have such names inscribed on their sportswear, etc.

'Change the name but not the letter
Change for the worse and not for the better.'
A common superstition in parts of England referring to a woman's change of name at marriage.

Name-giving rites

People everywhere attach the greatest possible importance to names, as is shown by the solemn ceremony prompted by a giving or  changing of names, i.e. christening, marriage. The bestowal of a personal name is an occasion of formality and tradition. Once the name has been given there is the belief in the mystical relationship between the name and the person who bears it. In Catholic societies a child will be given a Saint's name and will celebrate their 'name day' on their Saint's day in addition to their own birthday. A bit like having two birthdays, with presents and best wishes on both days. Of course, it pays to avoid giving the child a Saint's name which clashes with their own birthday. There is no universally accepted calendar of name days. Many of the saints are linked to more than one day because several saints bore them.

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