Everything Under the Moon

Hello All,
I am very new to this path, and I was told that one entering formally into the Craft will only receive their "Craft Name" upon initiation?
I am studying a 53 week course and Lesson #4 Your “craft” name.
according to my lesson, I have to pre-select my Craft name?
Any advice from you elder and wiser Members will be appreciated.
Blessings
Rob

We are told that the craft name was to be used in a coven to protect one's identity from accidental disclosure to witch hunters. I've never accepted that story because you'd know your neighbors and coven members. If it ever existed, it may have been more of a coming of age quest identity. For the sake of the class you are taking, a craft name can be like a user ID, or a symbol of what you want to grow into through the study course. It does not have to be permanent. Some people don't know their inner heart until the moment they formally dedicate themselves.

Thank you,
I appreciate what you are saying, that the name I choose does not have to be a permanent one, more like a student name I suppose, until such time of formal dedication.
A good friend of mine who is a High Priestess has told me that she already knows my Craft Name - which I do not have any doubt in her words and wisdom, and she said as you have, that I will only know my Craft Name when I'm formally dedicated, she actually said that my name will come to me on my Initiation into the Craft.

I have a friend who is working on discovering her Craft name through much mediation and reflection; it is very important to her and she considers it an integral part of her practice. On the other hand, I have never felt a strong desire to use a name other than my own for my spiritual practice.

For the sake of discussion, I am interested in why it whether or not you feel that it is important to have a "craft name," and if so how you are going about selecting it. Sharing your selection process may be helpful to others who are walking a similar path.
Best of luck to you!

There is a few different ways to get a name.
Some traditions have the leader of the group, tribe or coven, name the individual based on their characteristics and mannerisms. I think this was the most widely used method.
Then there is using a nickname, something that perhaps has been around you for some time.
Sometimes it is right at initiation, as you are being born into the Craft, youself or a memberof the group is struck with a name due to a vision or based on some sort of wildlife present at the time.
You could choose your own name, (and this used to be unheard of really, one doesn't name onesself) chosen specifically for what sort of energy you wish to embrace in your life. This is what I did.
You could also use numerology in the name so that the letters add up to your birth number or a number that brings you power. Additionally you could make up a name, something that doesn't sound like a language you know, maybe it could read the same way forward and back wards like >maram< Or the name reads only in a mirror=rorrim. See where that went? Pretty cool Rorrim!
Anyway, food for thought.
Bb, Firebird

This is a really interesting topic. I too am looking for a Craft name, however I am a solitary practitioner and have yet to decide or determine my Craft name.

I chose Alaric because I was fond of the name AND it matches my Destiny Number (numerologically significant that way)