Naming magic

[James Kard]

I have been working on a card trick that is self working and has a really cool ending. The only problem is the the most difficult, naming it. The trick is were you blindfold yourself and have someone to think of a number between 1 and 20. They then remember that card at that number and the cards are cut.
They never say out loud what there number is or what there card is, but you find there card and the number there thinking off. Did I mention your blindfolded and the trick requires no setup. I am open to cool ideas for a name for this trick.

 

[TylerScottIllusionist]

Do you have a performance video of it? The description was a little obscure but if I could see it in action I could help craft a name unique to that effect if you would like.

 

[nothingmuch]

Just a tip, but don't name it something that directly relates to the trick. For example, don't call it "Any Card, Any Number Miracle", you don't want someone to be able to search the name of the trick in a search engine and find it immediately. The best example of this I can think of is what Patrick Redford did with his mentalism book, which he named "Applesauce"

 

[TylerScottIllusionist]

The best example of this I can think of is what Patrick Redford did with his mentalism book, which he named "Applesauce"

Big Patrick Redford (or should I say George Tait) fan right here. He lives in my home state and I've always wanted to meet him. I have him on Facebook and he seems like a pretty cool guy.

 

[Josh Burch]

Just a tip, but don't name it something that directly relates to the trick. For example, don't call it "Any Card, Any Number Miracle", you don't want someone to be able to search the name of the trick in a search engine and find it immediately. The best example of this I can think of is what Patrick Redford did with his mentalism book, which he named "Applesauce"

Along the same lines, don't name it something that betrays its method. Lots of old classics have the problem of revealing themselves just by you mentioning the title. The double undercut, tells everyone exactly what you are doing. Don't refer to the gimmick or method in the title.

 

[James Kard]

Thanks, I may have a cool idea now. I was thinking "Suspect" and this is actually a trick that I am trying to come out with. Thanks for the help.

 

[Rev]

I happen to be writing up some routines at the moment and thus had to decide upon names for some of my most recent ideas, which reminded me of this thread.

Personally, I'm starting to find the single-word, 'cool' names such as 'Counterfeit' and 'Alchemy' a little tiresome. Being that my mentality is somewhat old school, I love trying to come up with funny names, or names that give some hint as to what the trick entails. Sometimes they are references to other things and sometimes they might hint at a trick that inspired the handling.

For example, I'm currently writing up a variation of Henry Christ's'Tally-Ho!', except my variation uses the Bicycle card box. Therefore, I named it 'Christ on Bike' (a very British exclamation of shock).

Another example: I have a handling of Bill Goodwin's 'Hold the Mayo' (which is on my Youtube channel) which I called 'Pass The Mustard.' It doesn't really mean anything, but it ties the effect into the routine that inspired it.

One More: I have a version of Max Maven's 'Three Piece Suit' (from Best of Friends Vol3). Given my version uses a much simplified handling, I called it 'Cheap Suit'.

Just thought I'd share a few examples of where I get my trick names from.

Rev

 

[obrienmagic]

I happen to be writing up some routines at the moment and thus had to decide upon names for some of my most recent ideas, which reminded me of this thread.

Personally, I'm starting to find the single-word, 'cool' names such as 'Counterfeit' and 'Alchemy' a little tiresome. Being that my mentality is somewhat old school, I love trying to come up with funny names, or names that give some hint as to what the trick entails. Sometimes they are references to other things and sometimes they might hint at a trick that inspired the handling.

For example, I'm currently writing up a variation of Henry Christ's'Tally-Ho!', except my variation uses the Bicycle card box. Therefore, I named it 'Christ on Bike' (a very British exclamation of shock).

Another example: I have a handling of Bill Goodwin's 'Hold the Mayo' (which is on my Youtube channel) which I called 'Pass The Mustard.' It doesn't really mean anything, but it ties the effect into the routine that inspired it.

One More: I have a version of Max Maven's 'Three Piece Suit' (from Best of Friends Vol3). Given my version uses a much simplified handling, I called it 'Cheap Suit'.

Just thought I'd share a few examples of where I get my trick names from.

Rev

I rather enjoy your titles!

I myself am a bit less creative I feel lol. My titles usually have something to do with either the trick that inspired it, or having some relative name to the effect itself. For example:

-"Dicewave": Inspired by brainwave and uses dice
-"Tu Tu Transpo": A play on the title "Tu Tu Tango" which is the restaurant I was testing it in at the time.
-"Tour de Force": Means "Triumph" in French
-"Hatline Prediction": A hatline refers to the line a busker would say to ask for donations.
-"Chicago Closer": My handling of the "Chicago Opener" lol
-"Ambitious Ink": Rather than an ambitius "CARD" it is the ink or signature itself that is jumping from card to card.

etc.....

So as you can see the names are not super creative, but also not random either. Though "Applesauce" is clever in the way that it gets more hits in a google search, If I saw a trick on the shelf called "Applesauce" I would assume it had something to do with applesauce or maybe some street magic effect that doesn't interest me. So it is up to you how you name the effect. Just DO NOT name it something that will reveal the method.

For example (will be as brief as I can so I do not reveal anything), there is an effect called blackout on the market that instantly tipped the method to me before I even bought it. So be careful about things like that.