Finding a good nickname, magician name?! Is it necessary?!

Greg0ry

Greg0ry

Nov 27, 2017
29
17
Hey Guys !

I just wondering about how to find, or creat a good nickname. Like Houdini , or so. For me my name in my language is still pretty hard to pronounce, so I often use nicknames in my private life. But as a magician I don't have one, officially uses my real name of course. But wonder how can maybe "I" find a good one, or what you suggest guys? Is it necessary by the way, or is it more natural if it comes just by accident, or with some reason, not exactly "creat". Thanks for comment ! And share any ideas !

Greetings!

Gregory
 
W

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
5,885
2,946
"Necessary" - not so much.

"Good idea" - maybe so.

Erich Wiess is difficult to spell when heard, and difficult to pronounce when read. His brother called him "Erry" which sounds like Harry, and his was inspired by Jean Eugene Robert Houdin, so he called himself Harry Houdini (Which he mistakenly thought meant "Like Houdin").

When you are a casual performer it doesn't really matter in my opinion. But if you want to do paid gigs you want people to remember who you are. You want the MC for the event to be able to introduce you properly. You want people to be able to find you online later. That sort of thing. To that end, you want a name that is easy to pronounce when seen written out, and easy to spell when heard said to someone.

That's why I go by Christopher Strange on stage.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Antonio Diavolo and Greg0ry
Greg0ry

Greg0ry

Nov 27, 2017
29
17
ChristopherT said:
"Necessary" - not so much.

"Good idea" - maybe so.

Erich Wiess is difficult to spell when heard, and difficult to pronounce when read. His brother called him "Erry" which sounds like Harry, and his was inspired by Jean Eugene Robert Houdin, so he called himself Harry Houdini (Which he mistakenly thought meant "Like Houdin").

When you are a casual performer it doesn't really matter in my opinion. But if you want to do paid gigs you want people to remember who you are. You want the MC for the event to be able to introduce you properly. You want people to be able to find you online later. That sort of thing. To that end, you want a name that is easy to pronounce when seen written out, and easy to spell when heard said to someone.

That's why I go by Christopher Strange on stage.
Click to expand...


Thank you ! Its really great what you write, and Im agree. Thats why I thinking of the topic. My name also quite hard to pronounce or to write, my first name Gergely (In English Gregory) uses a letter what is "LY" , I don't know if any other latin style language even uses this, and its terrible how hard for anybody to recognize what it is. It sound like Y in YES. Never mind, but I think a lot how to call myself (it might be sound strange) I also a musician and I paint, so something compare to the things I done, and can be a signature of me, maybe.. o.o
 
Greg0ry

Greg0ry

Nov 27, 2017
29
17
ChristopherT said:
"Necessary" - not so much.

"Good idea" - maybe so.

Erich Wiess is difficult to spell when heard, and difficult to pronounce when read. His brother called him "Erry" which sounds like Harry, and his was inspired by Jean Eugene Robert Houdin, so he called himself Harry Houdini (Which he mistakenly thought meant "Like Houdin").

When you are a casual performer it doesn't really matter in my opinion. But if you want to do paid gigs you want people to remember who you are. You want the MC for the event to be able to introduce you properly. You want people to be able to find you online later. That sort of thing. To that end, you want a name that is easy to pronounce when seen written out, and easy to spell when heard said to someone.

That's why I go by Christopher Strange on stage.
Click to expand...

Christopher Strange. I really like that !!! :)
 
Antonio Diavolo

Antonio Diavolo

Elite Member
Jan 2, 2016
1,098
883
24
California
My last name is probably one of the most Italian names you'll ever hear (It's not Diavolo though lol) and is crazy hard to pronounce so I usually just use my first name. Antonio Diavolo is just my online name. Like Chris said, just make sure it's easy to pronounce and remember.

But you can do something like "Christopher Strange" if you feel like it fits you. Chris specializes in mentalism as well as geek/bizarre magic so the name "strange" works well for him.

Just please for the love of god, don't make your stage name "The Great Gregini" :D
 
  • Like
Reactions: Greg0ry
Greg0ry

Greg0ry

Nov 27, 2017
29
17
Antonio Diavolo said:
My last name is probably one of the most Italian names you'll ever hear (It's not Diavolo though lol) and is crazy hard to pronounce so I usually just use my first name. Antonio Diavolo is just my online name. Like Chris said, just make sure it's easy to pronounce and remember.

But you can do something like "Christopher Strange" if you feel like it fits you. Chris specializes in mentalism as well as geek/bizarre magic so the name "strange" works well for him.

Just please for the love of god, don't make your stage name "The Great Gregini" :D
Click to expand...


Good thoughts ! :) And man, I just thinking about that The Great Gregini Will work !!!! Gosh :D
 
  • Like
Reactions: RealityOne and Antonio Diavolo
Greg0ry

Greg0ry

Nov 27, 2017
29
17
Antonio Diavolo said:
I mean you can if you want and you feel that it suits you :D.
It's just super cliche to add "ini" to the end of your name and make that your magician name.
Click to expand...


haha, OMG bro, do not take that seriously, I just joking !!! haha Never be so stupid, to get that kind of name. With time, and the right moment, it Will come. But this was stuck in my head for ages , and I thought it can be great to have a discussion with the pros here abouot the topic :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Antonio Diavolo
J

jasonkillsx

Mar 4, 2018
101
85
I attended a lecture by Mark Kornhauser and he brought up the point of using a stage name. The gist of what he said is that magic is a very competitive market and you should be doing whatever you can to set yourself apart such as changing your name from something like John Smith to the The Amazing (insert cool name here)-ini.
 
Antonio Diavolo

Antonio Diavolo

Elite Member
Jan 2, 2016
1,098
883
24
California
jasonkillsx said:
I attended a lecture by Mark Kornhauser and he brought up the point of using a stage name. The gist of what he said is that magic is a very competitive market and you should be doing whatever you can to set yourself apart such as changing your name from something like John Smith to the The Amazing (insert cool name here)-ini.
Click to expand...
I personally think adding "ini" is overdone and a bit cheesy. that's just me tho
 
W

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
5,885
2,946
The whole title thing is pretty played out in my opinion. As in, "The Great" or "The Amazing" ... I think most people who hear that immediately think of children's performers, or parodies from TV. Which, unless you're a children's entertainer or doing a parody, isn't great.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Antonio Diavolo
Mattxdfa

Mattxdfa

Oct 6, 2017
167
136
35
Pittsburgh, PA
I always thought the same, that "The Great" or "The Amazing" was something that no one should be doing anymore unless you're a big name and perform on a large scale in Vegas or something!
I've always thought about if I attempted to take the next step and want to try and make some money off performing on creating a different name or at least performing under a different last name. The whole idea of creating a different persona or character is still very strange to me though.
 
J

jasonkillsx

Mar 4, 2018
101
85
My god this site gets so hung up on all the little nuances rather than the main points. Excuse me for using a bad example.

The point I was getting at was that Mark Kornhauser's advice was to do whatever you can to distinguish yourself from your competition. Often times that could mean having a more appealing or memorable name such as Piff The Magic Dragon. There better for you all?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Antonio Diavolo
Antonio Diavolo

Antonio Diavolo

Elite Member
Jan 2, 2016
1,098
883
24
California
jasonkillsx said:
My god this site gets so hung up on all the little nuances rather than the main points. Excuse me for using a bad example.

The point I was getting at was that Mark Kornhauser's advice was to do whatever you can to distinguish yourself from your competition. Often times that could mean having a more appealing or memorable name such as Piff The Magic Dragon. There better for you all?
Click to expand...
I think we all understood that you were making an example. We are just elaborating on the people that do overuse magic cliches. Like Chris said, it reminds people of parodies or children's performers.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Searching...
{[{ searchResultsCount }]} Results