You’ve Got Talent: Characterizing the Presentation of Magic
(Chapter 13 of 13) Final Chapter.
Preface: Just a note to my readers (Assuming I have some) I am aware that the other posts in this series outlined a 15 chapter document, while this final post cuts off at chapter 13. This isn't a typo. Through the miracles of editing, I've managed to re-arrange information into better locations, and effectively cut two chapters from the final product. I hope you find this final chapter as filled with good information as anything else that I've written before it. Your comments certainly help inspire me to continue writing these things out (and posting them) where everyone can benefit from reading them. In short; Thank You.
XIII. How To Select A Name
Here’s a subject that in itself is so simple, but it’s the simplicity that makes it hard! How do you go about selecting a stage name that you will use and get it to work for you for the next how many years of your career? There are many methods out there to selecting a name, and there are many resources available to assist the creative process. Most everyone I talk to on this subject tends to agree that a name is sort of a Zen thing. You just kind of know when you’ve got something that is going to work for you. Since there really isn’t any right or wrong way to do this, I’m not going to be so egotistical to suggest to you (the reader) to try a single method, and be happy with the results. Quite the contrary. I’m going to suggest you try everything I’ve listed in this chapter, and then go out and do your own research, compare notes, and settle on something that you can be proud of! This chapter really is more of a resource guide than a how to instructional. I only hope that you can find this information useful.
One of the first and perhaps most obvious sources for name selections are baby name books. These often overlooked resources are packed with thousands of names, and usually their meanings. These kinds of books also sometimes list names that are trendy, “cool”, ethnic, or unique. If you are looking for the right name to fit the right character, then this is a good place to start. I’ve taken some time to do a little research for you and I would recommend any of the following books.
· “The everything baby names book” By: June Rifkin - Adams Media (2006) - Paperback - 307 pages - ISBN 1593375786 Price: Ranges from $7 to $16 dollars depending on where you purchase it.
· “The Greatest Baby Name Book Ever” By: Carol MCD Wallace - HarperCollins (2004) - Paperback - 736 pages - ISBN 0060566493 Price: Ranges from $6 to $10 dollars depending on where you purchase it.
· “100,000+ baby names” By: Bruce Lansky - Meadowbrook Press (2006) - Paperback - 704 pages - ISBN 0684039990 Price: Ranges from $8 to $15 dollars depending on where you purchase it.
Why pay money for a book that you’ll use (maybe) once, and then let it collect dust when you can go online and search for free? While I’d argue my own point there, in so much as having a physical object in your hand to leaf through, research, circle, write in, and mutilate certainly add a value that can’t be matched by online searches one can’t snub their nose at the endless wealth of free knowledge available on the internet these days either. So pick your poison, and indulge yourself. If you want to go about the free net search way, then take a look at these highly recommended baby name websites.
· http://www.babynames.com/
· http://www.babyhold.com/
If you don’t want to do the research, and just want to trust the internet to give you an interesting name, then why not try a random name generator? These useful little devices have been used for years by Role Players to generate the names to some of their most revered, loved, and inspired characters. Also, these kind of name generators can give you a wider selection of more, shall we say “interesting” sounding names. Frankly I think “Du’Koth the Destroyer” is just waiting for a sideshow freak or an Indy band myself, but chose at your own discretion.
· http://www.kleimo.com/random/name.cfm
· http://www.behindthename.com/random/
· http://www.rinkworks.com/namegen/
· http://www.bandnamemaker.com/
· http://www.seventhsanctum.com/
· http://www.squid.org/rpg-random-generator
Sometimes a name could have a personal meaning to you, or be something significant. Such as a pet name, or a nick name. Someone who I used to play Hearts with in high school’s nick name among many of our friends was “Spade”. That’s just because he always seemed to hold that queen no one ever wants to pick up in a hand. (If you don’t play the game heats, then you probably don’t understand what I am talking about. I recommend you try the game, it’s fun!) Now for a magician “Spade” may be a bit too obvious, but what ever blows your skirt up.
Adjective. An adjective as described by grammar.com are words that describe or modify another person or thing in the sentence. Sometimes a performers name can be accompanied by an adjective. Consider Henry the Sly, Sergio the Professor, or Valentino the Daring. Most of these kind of stage names are reminiscent of a by-gone era that died out with most of the carnivals back in the 1960’s, but it’s still a nice way to add a bit of “old school” to the right act.
Of course if you really wanted to get creative you could try using any of the following “classic” name generating techniques. Rumors have it that porn stars and drag queens got their names from using similar techniques.
· Name of your pet, and the name of the street that you lived on
· Mothers Maiden name, and the name of a Movie Star
Sometimes the best names for a stage character are names that are custom fit to your main acts. For example, lets say your main act is Fire. Fire dancing, Fire Poi, Fire Breathing, Fire Swords, Fire Whips, Fire Eating, Etc. Stage names like “Scorch”, “Ember”, “Cynder”, “Smoke”, “Calcifur”, Etc would be great names. You may eventually diversify your act a bit, adding in other elements, but so long as the basic body of your act still ties into your name it can add that extra touch that is needed to round out a performance character.
Alphabet Soup: This method is a fun one! Take a name that you like, or are considering using, but add letters in front of the name or behind the name to change it into something unique! You can also substitute letters for adjectives or suffixes as well.
Google: Forget the name generators, and baby name books. Just open up a good old fashioned Google search page, type in the genre of name you want: IE: Goth Name and hit search! The results can surprise you!
The one important thing to remember though, is like your character, once you select a name you have to stick with it! Changing your name too often can be just as disorientating to the audience as changing your character. So think long and hard on it. Like selecting your performance character, make sure when you consider your name you give yourself some room to grow in. Unless you are absolutely certain that you are only going to do fire acts for the rest of your life an name like “Inferno” might not be the best choice if you eventually plan to diversify into card magic. Also, just as an added thought, I would try to avoid overly popular names in any genre as much as possible. I’ll explain.
Let’s say you want a Goth name. If you did a Google search for “Goth names” the name “Raven” would be the most popular Goth name by far. It seems like every Goth message board, chat room, and website is populated by at least five people all named “Raven”. Talk about scoring points for individuality. There is nothing special about that name anymore. Hell I can think of at least two people that I know personally with that name. Remember, being a magician and promoting your act, character, name, and personality, is all about promoting something unique that can’t be found anywhere else. Why else would someone hire you unless you could provide them a character, service, or act that they can’t get anywhere else? So either avoid using overly abused names such as Raven, or find a way to alter the name into something different, more unique, and personal for your own use.
Creating a character, and selecting a name can be a lot of fun, but it’s also a lot of hard work. The research that goes into this is something you should take your time with. A name is something that will last you a lifetime. It will certainly be what people will know you by during the entire span of your career, and just as much as your name is what people will know you as; your character is what people will remember about you. Carefully plan each of these things as methodically as you would select your next magic trick. Allow yourself room to grow, and move in, and in the end be true to yourself. Don’t set yourself up with a character or persona that ultimately isn’t who or what you are inside. What’s inside of you will always come through eventually, and our audiences aren’t as dumb as we sometimes think they are. They can see, sense, and tell a fake persona when they see one. I wish you all the best of luck in your career, and I hope to maybe one day share a playbill with you on it!
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