The Festival of Fire

"Maibaum" by Kristi Malakoff

Hope you're having a blessed and happy Beltane!

Beltane, also known as May Day, is based on an old Celtic holiday. This celebration was mentioned numerous times in Irish mythology and early Irish literature. Some people see this day as the beginning of summer, others as the height of spring. As late as the 1800s, people in Ireland and Scotland would take their cattle and walk around, or jump over, a bonfire as a way to herald the coming summer on this day. At it's core, Beltane is a day that honors life. This is the time of year in which the earth's energy is at it's most fertile.

In Wicca, Beltane is the time of year in which the Horned God and the Great Goddess have their sacred wedding. And with the wedding comes the wedding night. Therefore, this holiday has a huge emphasis on (hetero)sexuality. It's what makes Beltane so great, but it's also what makes Beltane so potentially alienating. What if you want to celebrate with children? What if you're gay? What if you're not dating? Some people can feel completely left out during this holiday. However, there is actually a whole breadth of fun activities that you can use to celebrate Beltane.

• Like most modern Pagan holidays, Beltane is celebrated with a feast. Traditional foods for Beltane include oatmeal, strawberries, dairy, mushrooms, oysters, honey, red wine, fruit punch, herbal greens, venison, mead, and any food traditionally believed to be an aphrodisiac. Sometimes food and drink are offered to the faeries.
• One very well recognized tradition is the Maypole. The pole has a ring of flowers on the top and colored ribbons streaming down. In the Maypole dance, everyone grabs onto the end of a ribbon and then they dance in a circle, weaving in and out of each other so that the ribbons will braid around the pole. In the modern Pagan world this tradition has sexual symbolism, but you don't have to tell the little kids that.
• Flowers are a big part of Beltane. Making and wearing flower crowns is a fun activity. There is also the tradition of leaving flowers on neighbors doors. The May Bush is an old Irish custom that involves decorating a small tree with flowers and ribbon, which may or may not come from an ancient tree rite. Altar decorations can be simple flower arrangements.
• Beltane means "bright fire," so obviously there has to be a bonfire. The flames, smoke, and ashes of a Beltane bonfire are believed to be especially magical. Modern Pagans still jump over the bonfire as a way to purify themselves and increase fertility (use caution when doing this).
• If you are fortunate enough to attend a Beltane festival you'll see many other activities including morris dancing, sword dancing, music, archery competitions, and hobby-horse riding.
• A large part of this holiday is the Great Rite, or going "A-Maying." The Great Rite is a sacred Pagan ritual in which a man and a woman choose to, or are selected to, perform sex magic in the guise of the Horned God and the Great Goddess. This may or may not be performed outside. This may or may not be performed in front of an audience of other Pagans. They are sometimes referred as the May King and Queen. A-Maying is less formal but basically has the same idea: a couple spends the night in the woods together and comes back home with hawthorn branches (hawthorn is very sacred to this holiday). This day can be seen as a sort of Pagan Valentine's Day that honors romantic love.
• But many Pagans use this day to honor any type of love and any type of passion, not just physical love and passion. They celebrate mother-child and friend relationships and encourage new hobbies and goals.
• There is some debate over whether or not this is an appropriate time to get married. Some modern Pagans say that a wedding during the month of May is inauspicious because only a fool would upstage the God and Goddess. But just take a look through Offbeat Bride and you'll see that Beltane weddings are rather popular.
• I feel like I can't talk about this holiday without mentioning the Beltane Fire Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. Judging from the photographs of the event, it's absolutely stunning. They have also started festivals for Imbolc, Lughnasadh, and Samhain, but their Beltane festival remains the biggest. If you're a Pagan who loves to travel and this isn't on your bucket list, then what are you doing with your life?

Enough talk, onto the names:

Mythical beings associated with the season:

Artemis (Greek)

Diana (Roman)

Bacchus (Greek)

Dionysus (Roman)

Cernunnos (Celtic)

Flora (Roman)

Hera (Greek)

Juno (Roman)

Kokopelli (Hopi)

Pan (Greek)

Priapus (Roman)

Greenman (English folkloric)

Maia (Greek)

Aphrodite (Greek)

Venus (Roman)

Freya (Norse)

Balor (Irish)

Other ideas:

Beltane

May

Primavera ("spring")

Mayday

Ember

Phoenix

Hawthorn

Maythorn

Quickthorn

Whitethorn

Birch

Rowan

Lilac

Walburga

Jack (as in Jack-of-the-Green)

Robin (as in Robin Hood)

Primrose

Primeveire ("primrose")

Morris

Vivian ("alive")

Vivienne

Rose

Fiammetta ("little fire")

Spark

Hazel

Bright

Finn ("white")

Galatea ("milky white")

Myrtle

Aiden ("fire")

Cinder

Garland

Roux ("red")

Silver

Crimson

Queen

Regina ("queen")

Reign

Basil ("king")

Rex ("king")

Faye

Parisa ("like a fairy")

Siofra ("elf, sprite")

Alfred ("elf counsel")

Orchid

Euphoria

Joy

Soleil

Sol

Nymphia

Nymphadora

Wilder

Wilde

Fun combo-time:

Jack Maythorn

Rex Wilder

Faye Primavera

Hazel Reign

Artemis Wilde

Finn Silver

Juno Vivienne

Taurus the Steady

 

"Taurus" by Remedios Varo

"A minute's success pays the failure of years."

--Robert Browning, poet, playwright, and Taurus

Many modern Pagans prefer to pick names based on astrological signs. Yes, I know I just finished doing a series of posts very similar to this on the old blog, but this time I'm not limiting myself to thirteen names. Llewellyn's Complete Book of Names by K. M. Sheard is an excellent resource for finding names to go with specific astrological signs, so if you want even more options than the ones I list here go find that book.

Today the sun enters Taurus. This zodiac sign lasts roughly from April 20 to May 20. Like their symbol, the bull, Taurus people are always solid and rooted. They are dependable, steady, and industrious. But they also know how to relax. Taurus people delight in simple sensual pleasures like great food, colorful art, and warm beds. Security and stability is very important to Taurus, and they tend to be very traditional. However, like the bull, they can also have a nasty temper when provoked. In terms of intellect, they can be a little slow (not necessarily stupid, they're just slow thinkers), and very fixed in their opinions. Their desire for security can translate into being possessive, of people as well as things. But if you're willing to look past all that you will have a loyal friend in a Taurus.

Bull names:

Fintan ("white bull")
Byron ("place of cow sheds")
Eniko ("cow" or "deer")
Gopal ("cow protector")
Krishna
Taurina
Volos
Springer ("a cow close to birthing")
Luke
Damaris ("calf, heifer, girl")
Bison

Earth names:

Gaia
Sita
Mythily
Demeter
Octavian
Octavia
Octave
Gardner
Serpentine
George
Georgia
Farmer
Holon
Terra

Blue names:

Blue
Sapphire
Sappho
Azure
Royal
Sunil
Nila
Indigo
Sky
Ocean
Azzurra
Aoi

Time names:

Spring
Primavera
April
Avril
Averil
May
Maya

Attribute names:

Paz
Pax
Peace
Erato ("lovely")
Amanda ("lovable")
Valentine ("strong, vigorous, healthy")
Valentino
Valentina
Comfort
Adagio ("at ease")
Bellamy ("beautiful friend")
Bonamy ("good friend")
Amy ("friend")
Mungo ("gentle, kind")
Carys ("love")
Concordia ("harmony")
Concord
Solomon ("peace")
Salem
Placid
Placida
Placido
Zosimus ("likely to survive")
Zosime
Ruth ("friend")
Fidel ("loyal")
Zeal

Other ideas:

Ursa
Ursula
Florence
Hawthorne
Geoffrey
Amadeus
Baldwin
Emerald
Orchid
Philip
Hazel
Peridot
Quentin
Freya
Swan
Olive
Huxley
Paloma
Lavender
Tallulah
Mary
Atlas
Jasmine
Shiloh
Langston
Briar
Orlando
Albion
Leopold
Susan
Oberon
Juniper

Name Magpie: Happy Birthday to Me!

I'm thirty years old. I don't know how that happened. I must have left my time turner at my parents house. It's okay, my birthday trip to Harry Potter land in Orlando is helping to sooth the pain. In the meantime, here's some new name gifts that the world has given me:

Nightsky.  Names 4 Real is a great resource on interesting middle names. She found a boy named Nicholas Nightsky, and I am into it.

Huguette. There is a biography out called Empty Mansions: the Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune. Apparently she was a wealthy heiress and philanthropist who lived to be 104. Interesting name except...how is it pronounced exactly? Huge-et? Nope, it's closer to Hugh-ette. Still, it might be a stinker of a name to try to bring back.

Rabbie. A variant of Robert that caught my eye when everyone was posting Irish names during Saint Patrick's Day. Behind the Name says that it's Scottish, but perhaps it's widely used in Ireland?

Pasco. I'm not sure how I never heard of this, and I have Waltzing More Than Matilda to thank for bringing it to my attention. It's a variant of Pascal, which means "relating to Easter."

Thais. Well, I'm not sure how I missed this one either. Thais is a Greek name that possibly means "bandage." It was the name of a famous courtesan during the time of Alexander the Great. It's currently a top 100 favorite in France.

Akoya. This one stuck out to me when I made the Claire Pettibone round-up. It may or may not be Japanese for "seawater," but it is definitely the name of a type of pearl/oyster.

6 Naming Rules that Make Me Go "Huh?"

Fellow name enthusiasts, I like you guys. You enable my obsession, after all. But sometimes the things you say make it seem that you...how do I put this delicately...have a tendency to overthink things. Take, for instance, "how to name your baby" posts that I see time and time again. They're designed to be "helpful," I suppose, but they're more of a window into the values of the people who wrote them if you ask me. In the interest of providing a variety of opinions, here are some common naming "rules" that I have very different feelings about:

1. "A name is off limits once a celebrity uses it for their baby."

Um, why? Do you live in Hollywood? Do you know this famous family personally? No? Then this should not be a concern at all.

Part of the reason this "rule" exists is because people are worried that a name will shoot up the popularity charts once a famous person uses it. In some cases this is true, but it's not like Shiloh immediately became the new Sophia after Angelina Jolie gave it to her daughter. Becoming a top 100 name is a process that takes years if not decades. Another thing I hear a lot is the worry that all of their friends will believe that the namer is copying the celebrity. If that happens, just explain that that's not the case. If they still don't get it, then you need better friends.

If you love the names North, Shiloh, Valor, or Esmeralda, use them. Don't worry so much about the little people in the TV.

2. "The last letter of the first name should not be the same as the first letter of the middle/last name, otherwise it will be too difficult to pronounce."

Say this name aloud: Christopher Robin. Did you have trouble with that?

Don't get me wrong, sometimes the same sounds together can be a problem. But this "rule" is not ironclad. It's more of a case-by-case guideline. So don't just assume. Say the name aloud a few times.

3. "Children should be given names that will help them succeed in the corporate world."

Okay, great! Here's my suggestions: Li, Hiroshi, Mohammed, and Arjun. ...What? That wasn't what you had in mind? Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize that they had time machines in the 1950s.

4. "Rule out names with bad childhood associations because you'll never get over them."

Again, not necessarily true in all cases. I always roll my eyes when people say that a name is bad because it was given to a Disney villain (Ursula comes to mind). I love the name Marceline even though I vaguely remember that a girl named Marcy bullied me in second grade. Perhaps this depends on how good your memory is. But if that kid that barfed on you when you were seven is enough to keep you from a name you love then you have a problem with grudges.

5. "Make sure that a traditional/formal name is on the birth certificate as an 'insurance policy.' You can always call them whatever other name you want."

With all due respect to other name bloggers and those who have done this with their own kids' names (I know this is a fairly common thing to do), but I believe this advice is misleading and unrealistic. I also thinks that this "rule" comes from the fear that a unique name is going to hold them back in some way which, as we see time and time again, isn't always a concern based in reality.

Here's why this tactic almost never works: parents don't get to pick the nicknames. That's up to the child and his peer group. Therefore, the only guarantee that a child will be called something is to make it his real name.

If you just love formal names with a myriad of unusual nickname options that's a different, and completely valid, thing. If you just like traditional names with a history, that's also valid. But the push for "serious" legal names is counter-productive when you really just want to use the unique name.

6. "Family honor names should automatically trump all other names."

No, that is definitely not true for everyone. And depending on the family, this could lead to more drama and regret than it's worth. I don't even believe in fulfilling the obligation with a middle name if that's outside of the parent's comfort zone. Or, let's just call a spade a spade, if it's outside the mother's comfort zone. More often than not, it is the father and the father's family that is invested in the honor names. Not everyone values tradition, and that should be given equal respect.

Aries the Warrior

"Ram's Head, White Hollyhock and Little Hills" by Georgia O'Keefe

"Hope, like faith, is nothing if it is not courageous; it is nothing if it is not ridiculous."

--Thornton Wilder, playwright, novelist, and Aries

Many modern Pagans prefer to pick names based on astrological signs. Yes, I know I just finished doing a series of posts very similar to this on the old blog, but this time I'm not limiting myself to thirteen names. Llewellyn's Complete Book of Names by K. M. Sheard is an excellent resource for finding names to go with specific astrological signs, so if you want even more options than the ones I list here go find that book.

Today the sun sign shifts into Aries and it will last from approximately March 20 to April 19. My zodiac is filled with almost all Aries and Scorpio, so this is a very special sign for me. Aries is considered to be the "first" sign, which is a hint to their personality traits. Aries are direct people who value innovation and being the first to accomplish a task. They always need to be doing something. They like quick action, planning isn't really their forte. They tend to live in the moment. Aries are also known for their courage and independence. Like the ram, Aries like to face their problems head on. Aries is considered to be the "youngest" sign (although technically Aries is "born" first, I never understood how that worked), therefore they always maintains a certain youthfulness throughout their lives. Sometimes to the point of immaturity. The bad side to an Aries' childlike qualities is that they could be narcissistic, self involved, and naïve. However, when they're in balance their inner warrior will allow them to accomplish anything.

Ram names:

Jubilee ("ram's horn")
Ovid
Amun
Ishtar
Thor
Faun
Agnes ("lamb")

Warrior names:

Hero
Paladin
Athena
Minerva
Earl
Bellatrix
Charles
Oya
Morrigan
Bast
Duncan
Perseus
Krishna
Nike
Indra
Achilles
Beowulf
Gonzalo
Hera
Clovis
Ajax
Theseus
Gunnar
Viggo
Koa

Fire names:

Phoenix
Seraphina
Seraphim
Vesta
Blaze
Smoky
Ember
Draco
Drake
Sirius

Time names:

March
Mars
Marceline
April
Avril
Averil
Spring
Primavera
Equinox
Ostara
Eostre
Easter
Una

Red, white, and black names:

Roux
Flannery
Garnet
Ruby
Rohit
Russell
Fox
Rhydian
Gwen
Albion
Galatea
Blanche
Haku
Finn
Sable
Raven
Nox
Shadow
Jet
Onyx

Attribute names:

Brave
Bravery
Wilder
Wilde
Valor
Verity ("truth")
True
Junius ("youth")
Neo
Nova
Novella
Fergus ("man of vigor")
Mohan ("bewitching")
Mohandas
Regulus ("little king")
Ferelith ("true ruler")
Rex
Fabrice ("craftsman")
Resolute
Courage
Leopold ("bold people")
Admetus ("untamed")
Melchior ("king city")
Lorcan ("little fierce one")
Noble
Adelaide ("noble kind")

Other ideas:

Genevieve
Aslan
Hawthorn
Eagle
Tigerlily
Nephele
Opal
Richard
Pendragon
Clove
Betony
Thorne
Sabin
Sabine
Dominique
Domino
Fern
Sappho
Alice
Godric
Conor
Fifer
Lilac
Zephyr
Leveret
Theodore
Theodora
Firebrace
Rue
Tempest

The Beginning of Spring

"Feeding the Rabbits" by Frederick Morgan

Blessed Ostara, or Eostre if you prefer!

Ostara is a holiday based on ancient Germanic traditions and takes place on the Vernal Equinox. This time of year is synonymous with rebirth and rejuvenation in many spiritual traditions. Night and day are balanced, and the Earth is starting to awake from her winter slumber. In Wicca, the Horned God and Great Goddess are a young couple, and this is the time in which the next years Horned God is conceived.

The patron deity for this holiday is obviously Ostara/Eostre. Eostre was the Teutonic goddess of spring and the dawn who frequently took the form of a white hare (see the connection?). Her name is where the words "east" and "Easter" come from. Unfortunately, we don't know a lot about her in terms of how she was honored in ancient times. She is a "lost" deity, we know she existed but we don't know her mythology. All of the stories about her were made recently.

This time of year is a bit of a soft spot for me. I was born on Easter Sunday so a lot of my birthday parties growing up were Easter themed. I just loved the symbolism of the rabbits and the colorful eggs, and it's lucky that that's carried on into my adopted religion. It's cute to be born on a holiday as a child. As I've grown older I've come to like it less and less (you can't exactly do much on your birthday if all your friends are with their families and everything is closed).

In any case, many Ostara traditions are going to look familiar to outsiders:

• Traditional foods for an Ostara feast are eggs, ham, asparagus, leafy green vegetables, honey, mead, candy, dairy, hare/rabbit, chocolate, and breads. However, a lot of modern Pagans prefer to fast on this day instead, as a way to clear out toxins that were stored in the body during winter.
• Painting and searching for colored eggs is a beloved tradition. The practice of dying eggs reaches back to the Ancient Egyptians and Greeks. In Europe, eggs were often used in folk magic made to bless women with children, since eggs are such an obvious symbol of fertility. Many modern Pagans try to make their own dye from natural materials. While some believe that the tradition of the Easter Egg hunt might have roots in some nasty history (in particular the trading of money for the eggs), we tend to let it slide.
• A slight variation to the above tradition is hollowing the eggs out to insert a fortune or confetti (or both!) inside of it. The downside of this is that the lovely painted eggs will have to be broken in order to read the fortunes.
• Eggs can be used for a whole assortment of crafts. There's eggshell candles, eggshell garden cups, egg wreaths, and egg hats.
• Since springtime has officially begun, this is a good time to plant seeds or start a magical garden. It's also a nice time to fill your home with baskets of local flowers.
• I think most children would rebel if there weren't any chocolate bunnies. Why not try making your own? Modern Pagans must remember to leave one on the alter for the Goddess.

Enough of that, on with the names:

Mythical beings associated with the season:

Ostara (Germanic)

Eostre (Teutonic)

Eos (Greek)

Freya (Norse)

Osiris (Egyptian)

Artemis (Greek)

Diana (Roman)

Cybele (Anatolian/Roman)

Aurora (Roman)

Mithras (Zoroastrian)

Coyote (Native American)

Raven (Native American)

Ishtar (Babylonian)

Venus (Roman)

Aphrodite (Greek)

Faunus (Roman)

Pan (Greek)

Kore (Greek)

Isis (Egyptian)

Astarte (Mesopotamian)

Other associations:

Spring

Primavera

March

Jonquil

Xanthe ("yellow")

Xanthus

Coral

Coraline

Coralie

Violet

Iris

Hyacinth

Flavia ("yellow, golden")

Flavian

Ochre

Lourdes ("pale yellow")

Lemon

Crocus

Rabbit

Ester

Harlan ("hare land")

Leveret ("young hare")

Bunny

Catkin

Taliesin

Easton

Dawn

Primrose

Donna ("lady")

Matrona ("lady")

Junius ("youth")

Mabyn ("youth")

Ash

Birch

Shashi ("having a hare")

Sahar ("dawn")

Zora ("dawn")

Alder

Flora

Anemone

Lily

Robin

Narcissus

Narcissa

Forsythia

Pascal

Lark

Serpentine

Bluebell

Woodruff

Olive

Peony

Chloe ("green shoot")

Haru ("spring")

Midori ("green")

Fawn

Undine

Jasper

Moonstone

Fun combo time:

Jasper Harlan

Zora Lark

Pascal Woodruff

Artemis March

Junius Leveret

Midori Fawn

Flora Lourdes

"So much universe, and so little time."

Two days ago Sir Terry Pratchett died, and there has been an outpouring of love and grief from both nerds and Pagans. For those who aren't familiar with his work, Terry Pratchett was a fantasy author best known for his Discworld novels. His work was heavily inspired by mythology and magic and his fans feel in love with his hilarious wit and great insight. Pratchett himself was an Atheist, so it's a little ironic that so many Pagans point to his work as an major influence in their spirituality. Pratchett had been suffering from Alzheimer's for some time now, so this was expected. But it's still sad.

I'm going to be honest. The only Terry Pratchett book I've read is The Hogfather, which is amazing. I am told that The Wyrd Sisters is required reading for all Pagans, so I'll be sure to get to that. But for now, I've collected some of the names of the characters that sprang from his marvelous imagination:

Rufus
 
Sybil
 
Havelock
 
Gaspode
 
Ponder
 
Agnes

Esmeralda
 
Tomjon
 
Eskarina
 
Lily
 
Verence
 
Io

Mort
 
Ysabell
 
Lucy
 
Tiffany
 
Roland
 
Letice
 
Otto

Adora
 
Bluejohn
 
Rosemary
 
Errol
 
Setha
 
Inigo
 
Verity
 
Roberta

Gunder
 
Findthee
 
Mica
 
Reynold
 
Lupine
 
Stoker
 
Drum
 
Cohen
 
Bethan
 
Juliet
 
Glenda
 
Marmaric
 
Desiderata
 
Olwyn
 
Lias
 
Myria
 
Tolliver
 
Gladys
 
Xeno
 
Sally
 
Igor
 
Rhys
 
Wolfgang
 
Serafine
 
Achmed
 
Lorenzo
 
Carelinus
 
Quimby
 
Methodia
 
Silver
 
Leiv
 
Nisodemus
 
Crowley
 
Sacco
 
Milo
 
Solomon

Blast from the Past: Kiyomi

People ask me when I started obsessively collecting names and I honestly don't remember. Definitely from a very young age. I'll be 30 years old in a month, the blanks in my memory tends to multiply. I draw an even bigger blank when asked to recall exact names that I loved. As much as I would love to post my long, eclectic childhood name lists so we could laugh together, those sort of things don't survive multiple cross-country moves and spring cleanings. I remember loving Isabel and Sophia as a child (apparently, I'm a product of my generation), but those aren't particularly interesting to talk about.

But today I was at my parent's house going through old books, seeing what I can sell or get rid of, and I found this:

The first thing I thought was, "How do I still have this?" Secondly I thought, "Oh yeah! I was obsessed with this little deer character! Kiyomi was on my favorite name lists and I was constantly drawing her!" Almost all of my favorite names come from books, so this isn't really surprising.

Kiyomi is a Japanese name. Kiyo means either "holy" or "pure," depending on the kanji used and mi means "beautiful." It's also the name of a genetically made hybrid fruit. I can't say that Kiyomi would be on my list of names today, but it is definitely beautiful and elegant.

Surprising the memories you can unearth sometimes!

Pisces the Dreamer

"Carps" by Ohara Koson

 

"I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."

--Albert Einstein, physicist, philosopher and Pisces

Many modern Pagans prefer to pick names based on astrological signs. Yes, I know I just finished doing a series of posts very similar to this on the old blog, but this time I'm not limiting myself to thirteen names. Llewellyn's Complete Book of Names by K. M. Sheard is an excellent resource for finding names to go with specific astrological signs, so if you want even more options than the ones I list here go find that book.

The sun sign of Pisces occurs roughly between February 18 and March 20, depending on the year. Because this is the "last" zodiac sign, Pisces is believed to have the characteristics of an elder sibling. They are able to empathize with the experiences and world views of all of the different zodiac signs. Pisces is ruled by the element of water, so people with this sign are emotional, spiritual, adaptable, and compassionate. Pisceans have great imagination and intuition which helps them succeed in artistic endeavors and other forms of self expression. The symbol for Pisces is two fish swimming in opposite directions, which hints that Pisceans can be wishy-washy or directionless. They may shut down during confrontation and can be overly sensitive. They also tend to be in love with their own suffering. However, when their period of angst is over, Pisceans have the tremendous ability to bounce back stronger than before.

Fish names:

Fisher
Fishel
Pike
Salmon
Angler
Trout
Koi
Carp
Mako
Mina
Minali ("fish catcher")

Water names:

River
Ocean
Oceanus
Oceana
Mortimer
Anemone
Undine
Rumi
India
Indio
Caspian
Vellamo
Havelock
Calypso
Haven
Rain
Cascade
Fleet
Tallulah
Delphine
Lotus
Coral
Coraline
Coralie
Akoya
Galatea

Time names:

Winter
Spring
Primavera
February
Februa
March
Ultima
Ultimo

Blue, green, and purple names:

Blue
Azure
Indigo
Sapphire
Sappho
Midori
Peridot
Jade
Olive
Forrest
Evergreen
Viridian
Emerald
Lavender
Lilac
Plum
Violet
Viola

Attribute names:

Dreamer
Reverie ("daydream")
Admetus ("untamed")
Cara ("dear, beloved")
Caro
Meander ("to wander aimlessly")
Peregrine ("pilgrim, traveler")
Rover
Beatrix ("traveler")
Amy ("beloved")
Peace
Pax
Paz
Joy
Noa ("love, affection")
Ophelia ("to help")
Ophelie
Esperanza ("hope")
Esperance
Boniface ("good fate")
Caradoc ("love")
Sage ("wise")
Wilder
Wilde
Asher ("happy, blessing")
Erato ("lovely")
Felix ("lucky")
Felicity
Carwyn ("white love")
Aisling ("dream, vision")
Remedy
Remedios
Pandora ("all gifts")

Other ideas:

Wolf
Wolfgang
Paloma
Jasmine
Nimbus
Cloud
Nephele
Daisy
Griffin
Poppy
Ariadne
Rosalind
Jove
Jupiter
Zeno
Hazel
Beryl
Lorelei
Margot
Rohan
Eponine
Tobias
Anais
Jewel
Cypress
Cyprian
Thyme
Hyacinth
Albion
Echo
Ganesh
Lazarus
Edgar
Edmund
Mia
Padma
Raphael
Raphaella

Romatic Bohemian Names from Claire Pettibone

Photo belongs to the Claire Pettibone design team

I've been thinking a lot about weddings and marriage recently, probably because a lot of my peers are getting married. If you've spent any time looking up Pagan weddings (or looking under the search term "wiccan wedding dress") you'll quickly find out that there are two dominant aesthetics: renaissance fair and goth princess. Neither one of these styles is really my thing. Which is why I'm so in love with Claire Pettibone's work. They totally mesh with the bohemian, art nouveau style I adore. Some even have color! The one above, called "Raven," is the one that I've been most obsessed with.

You know what else I love about Pettibone's gowns? Their names. Looking through pinterest and her official blog, there's names ranging from the traditional to the adventurous. It's a jackpot of awesome! You could definitely make the case that most of these names could fit into the "ethereal bohemian" category I love so much. Pettibone is apparently as good at naming kids as she is in naming gowns: her daughter is Lorelei.

So I went through every collection, every discontinued gown, and even the lingerie, to find all of the wonderful monikers used for Pettibone's creations. And I'm sure I'm still missing some. Before I created this list I didn't realize how long Pettibone had been designing. Even leaving out names like "Notre Dame" and "Sky Between the Branches" still leaves a ton of inspiration here. Check it out:

Raven

Viola

Moonshadow

Peace

Clementine

Eden

Brigitte

Venus

Kristine

Amaryllis

Eloquence

Sonnet

Versailles

Chantilly

Larissa

Elizabeth

Faith

Uriel

Trinity

Mystere

Lily

Papillion

Olivia

Luna

Beauty

Athena

Genevieve

Michaela

Angelique

Dragonfly

Evangeline

Casablanca

Phaedra

Flora

Gabrielle

Adeline

Elwin

Yolanda

Alchemy

Helena

Midnight

Aria

Madeline

Norah

Belladonna

Hazel

Louisa

Stardust

Aphrodite

Cloisonné

Iris

Emmanuel

Ambrosia

Deauville

Lumiere

Clio

Florentine

Adagio

Gothique

Mariposa

Ariel

Celestine

Basilica

Grace

Constance

Moonflower

Jophiel

Estelle

Seville

Alma

Raphaella

Florence

Eternity

Chapelle

Angelica

Thalia

Gossamer

Rachel

Patchouli

Julia

Nocturne

Beatrix

Minuet

Abbey

Robyn

Cassandra

Gardenia

Poppy

Sonata

Antoinette

Lydia

Toulouse

Clara

Marlene

Sophie

Forever

Lalique

Geisha

Juliet

Bianca

Wren

Canterbury

Primrose

Gladys

Abigail

Laurel

Charlotte

Thyme

Provence

Twilight

Amelie

Crescent

Frances

Willow

Rosemary

Devotion

Mademoiselle

Ceylon

Topanga

Amour

Promise

Haviland

Lilith

Seraphina

Jasmine

Camelot

Kasbah

Alexandra

Faye

Rhapsody

Poetry

Oleander

Laurence

Dewdrop

Renee

Clover

Iridessa

Nightingale

Sparrow

Akoya

Lucien

Fontenelle

Theodora

Princess

Chantal

Demetra

Haiku

Rosa

Diana

Plume

Sakura

Victoriana

Ginseng

Martinique

Adelaide

Breeze

Dawn

Lucia

Magnolia

Sycamore

Colette

Leighton

Bellaire

Aberdeen

Delaney

Rosegold

This post is already long, but I know that none of you would be proud of me if I wasn't making name combo after combo from this selection:

Olivia Moonshadow

Iridessa Crescent

Lilith Basilica

Adagio Florence

Viola Raven

Charlotte Wren

Luna Jophiel

Phaedra Willow

Akoya Nightingale

Poetry Faye

Abigail Haviland

Juliet Oleander

Rhapsody Plume

Elwin Florentine

Clio Genevieve

Laurel Gothique

Sophie Casablanca

Beginnings and Hope

Tile design is copyright Midnight Moon, you can buy it here.

Blessed Imbolc, everybody!

Imbolc (also known as Oimelc or Ouimelko) is based on an Irish Celtic holiday. Some see this day as the beginning of spring. Others see it as the height of winter. Some see it as a festival of lights, others as a festival of water. Imbolc either means "ewe's milk" or "of the belly," and either way it's clear that this holiday has something to do with the beginning of life. In Ireland, this would be the time in which sheep gave birth to lambs. In Wicca, the Horned God that was born on Yuletide is now a child who's nursing.

Considering that another name for this holiday is Brigid's Day (Saint Brigid's Day to you Catholics out there), it should be no surprise that the main deity for this holiday is definitely Brigid. Brigid (also called Bridget or Bride) is the Irish goddess of poetry, arts, crafts, medicine, livestock, serpents, sacred wells, and sacred flames. She has two sisters who are also named Brigid, which makes her a triple goddess. In some myths, Brigid seizes control of the seasons from Callieach, the goddess of winter, which is how she is associated with the early stirrings of spring. As for the gods, they're not really mentioned on this holiday. Males can't make milk, after all. Still, it wouldn't hurt to pay tribute to Brigid's father, the Daghdha.

Imbolc is probably the most subdued of the Wiccan holidays. It tends to be celebrated in a very small and private way. Because this day is so personal to many modern Pagans there's a lot of variance in the traditions:

• Imbolc isn't as big of a feasting holiday as other Wiccan festivals, but certain foods are considered more appropriate for a traditional celebratory meal. Milk, yogurt, cheese, eggs, potatoes, blackberries, seeds, bread, muffins, biscuits, and leafy greens are all suitable. Irish recipes are particularly popular.
• A popular arts and crafts project that modern Pagans enjoy is making Brigid's cross. It's a small cross woven with reeds or grasses. The image I used for this post depicts it. Straw dolls of Brigid are also common.
• Rituals preformed on this day traditionally have a lot to do with letting go of the old and embarking on the new. This is a particularly good time to start creative projects.
• A lot of modern Pagans spend the days leading up to this holiday cleaning up and purifying their houses or culling some of their possessions. That might not sound very fun, but modern Pagans believe that holding on to clutter and unnecessary stuff stagnates energy. Imbolc is all about letting go of the old and preparing for the new, literally as well as spiritually.
• Because of the strong Irish element, some Pagans celebrate Imbolc as a substitution for Saint Patrick's Day.
• Hey Christians! For once, we stole something from you! Candlemas is often thought of as a Christianization of Imbolc. But Candlemas was first celebrated in 4th century Greece while Imbolc was celebrated exclusively in Ireland, so that's not possible (I'm not saying that Candlemas isn't based in some Pagan traditions, I'm just saying that it's not based on Imbolc). Anyway, the particular tradition we took from Candlemas was the making and blessing of candles. Decorating with lots of lit candles is common for Imbolc. It fits in nicely with Brigid being a fire goddess and also with the growing energy of the sun.
• Brigid is also the goddess of sacred wells, so if possible it's good to visit a well, river, or stream. If the water's clean, that can be a good place to practice purifying rituals.
• Of course I can't mention this holiday without also talking about Groundhog Day. It's possible that the tradition has Pagan origins, but I have a sneaky suspicion that it's more of a general agricultural thing than a spiritual thing. "Are the animals out of hibernation yet? Yes? Great! We can start planting now."

Enough of that, on with the names:

Mythical beings associated with the season:

Brigid (Irish Celtic)

Daghdha (Irish Celtic)

Hestia (Greek)

Vestia (Roman)

Bastet (Egyptian)

Inanna (Sumerian)

Artemis (Greek)

Diana (Roman)

Athena (Greek)

Minerva (Roman)

Other associations:

Winter

Rowan

Candle

Snowdrop

Snow

Angelica

Basil

Poet

Willow

Blackberry

Galatea ("white as milk")

Madrigal ("simple song," but it came from a word meaning "womb")

Cross

Tansy

Violet

Virgil

Ailbhe ("white")

Una ("lamb")

Swan

Lavender

Birch

Phoenix

Heather

Robin

Trinity

Clover

Serpentine

Metrodora ("gift of the mother")

Emese ("mother")

Harper

Draco

Bramble

Willow

Gwen ("white, fair, blessed")

Columban ("white dove")

Finn ("white")

Fabrice ("craftsman")

Fabrizio

Howard ("ewe herder")

Rachel ("ewe")

Ovid ("sheep")

Sprout

Phoebe ("bright, pure")

Phoebus

Aidan ("fire")

Kiyoshi ("pure")

Glenda ("good and pure")

Vimala ("clean, pure, spotless")

Zacchaeus ("pure")

Amethyst

Garnet

Ruby

Onyx

Turquoise

Fun combo time:

Rowan Madrigal

Howard Fabrice

Vestia Swan

Aidan Cross

Ovid Bramble

Name Magpie: Name Love in Wintertime

I can hardly believe that it's almost February. I'm still trying to plan for things to come in this new year, which I'm sure I will tell you about later. In the meantime, these are the new names that caught my eye:

Lumina. How did I miss this one? It's Latin for "brilliant light." Luminosa is the Spanish form, which is also quite lovely.

Koyal. I had seen this word before as the title of a Bollywood-ish song, but I wasn't aware that it was a given name. According to this website it's Hindi for "cuckoo."

Narayan. Like Rime, this is a name that I previously only knew through the Myst franchise. Then I found that it's what this couple named their son. It's a Sanskrit name meaning "the essence of all" or "the path of man" or "resting place for all living entities." Whatever it means, it's very sacred.

Vasilique. I forget where I saw this, but it was a comment on a different blog written by someone with this name. I believe it's a respelling of the Greek name Vasiliki, meaning "royal." According to the commenter, it has heavy Christian overtones.

Cleodie. Yet another variant of Cleo from British Baby Names.

Cynewulf. Thank Appellation Mountain for this one. It's an Anglo Saxon name meaning "royal wolf."

Bellamor. If you like Bellamy, then you'll probably like Bellamor. I'm assuming that it means "beautiful love" (belle + amor) the same way that Bellamy means "beautiful friend" (belle + ami). And yes, I know that amor is Latin and ami is French, but I can't find any other explanation and it seems like a solid hypothesis.

Aquarius the Water-Bearer

"Aquarius IX" by Endre Bartos

 

"He that will not apply new remedies must expect new evils; for time is the greatest innovator."

--Francis Bacon, philosopher, statesman, scientist, and Aquarius

Many modern Pagans prefer to pick names based on astrological signs. Yes, I know I just finished doing a series of posts very similar to this on the old blog, but this time I'm not limiting myself to thirteen names. Llewellyn's Complete Book of Names by K. M. Sheard is an excellent resource for finding names to go with specific astrological signs, so if you want even more options than the ones I list here go find that book.

Aquarius lasts from approximately January 20 to February 18, depending on the year. It is no coincidence that the 1960's are associated with the "Age of Aquarius." This sign is all about advancement and progress. People born under this sign like to defy social convention and throw out old ways of thinking and living. They tend to be "quirky" and "different." This being an air sign, Aquarians are very intellectual, witty, and curious. They're very honest and will always be very open with everyone they meet. Idealism runs strong with these people, and they value equality. Although some tend to be aloof and standoffish, Aquarians are generally well liked by everyone they meet.

Water bearer names:

Coventina
Chalice
Wells
Ishtar
Grotto
Spring (as in a spring of water)
Bath
Lourdes
Nerthus
Fontus
Juturna
Saraswati ("possessing water")

Air names:

Anemone
Zephyr
Notus
Boreas
Sirocco
Breeze
Feather
Gossamer
Bird
Kestrel
Kite
Dove
Whisper
Aria
Vayu
Caraway
Vox ("voice")

Time names:

January
Janus
February
Februa
Winter

Yellow and purple names:

Saffron
Amber
Goldenrod
Lemon
Yellow
Xanthe
Blaine
Flavia
Lavender
Amethyst
Lilac
Iolanthe
Violet
Plum

Attribute names:

Amity ("friendly, pleasant")
Nova ("new")
Neo
Novella
Novello
Dreamer
Prosper
Sage ("wise")
Fortuna ("fortunate, lucky")
Bellamy ("beautiful friend")
Bonamy ("good friend")
Pax ("peace")
Paz
Salem ("peace")
Liberty
Placido ("placid")
Placida
Enoch ("dedicated")
Saoirse ("freedom")
Justice
Justin
Eurydice ("wide justice")
Thrift
Cosima ("order, decency")
Cosimo
Quiterie ("peaceful, calm")

Other ideas:

Waverly
Pandora
Hallow
Garnet
Charles
Charlotte
Olivia
Olive
Tycho
Lysander
Lysandra
Wolf
Cleopatra
Francis
Saturn
Wendy
Shiloh
Delphine
Clover
Maple
Raphael
Raphaella
Sappho
Noah
Fabrice
Parvati
Onyx
Lennox
Aloysius
Ulysses
Poe
Silver

A Reminder of Comment Etiquette

I know this isn't pleasant or fun, but I need to lay down the law my least favorite thing about blogging so I don't have to talk about it again: comment moderation. This turned out to be a big problem with the original blog near the end. To be fair, most of the comments I'm talking about weren't mean, just spammy. But it was draining and not fun to deal with all the same. Which is why on this blog I now screen all the comments before they're published.

Let's get one thing out of the way first: if I choose not to post a comment that doesn't mean that I'm "censoring" the commenter. I'm ignoring him. There's a difference. It might hurt your feelings (which is not my intent), but that is my right.

Now the reason why I delete a comment is not because I don't want to hear views that challenge mine. I have never deleted a comment because I disagreed with what they wrote. Everyone is allowed to state an opinion so long as they are nice about it. I usually wind up deleting comments if a) they're not relevant to the original post or b) the language comes across as antagonistic. So take note on those two points.

In short, my dear readers, you are not entitled to be heard and agreed with by everyone. That's life. So keep comments on topic and be kind. It's not that hard. If you don't pay attention to the way that you comment, then you're going to slowly kill a blog you love.

Name Profile: Janus

Janus is the god that gave us the name for the month of January. Although according to documents from the Roman time period, Juno was actually the main deity for this month. So it might actually be named after Juno. But for the purposes of this post we are assuming that January comes from Janus. Juno already has her own month, okay?

Janus is the Roman god of doors, gateways, passageways, and (if we're thinking more metaphorically here) beginnings and transitions. His name means "covered passage" in Latin. He is usually portrayed with a face on the back of his head, which represents his ability to see both the future and the past. There is no Greek equivalent to Janus, although he might be related to an earlier Italian oak god named Dianus. Regardless, he is distinctly Roman.

Janus was a very important god in his day. There were rituals preformed in his honor at the beginning of each year, each month, and each day. The Romans believed that the way in which a person began a new project was critical to it's success, which seems like good common sense to me. Naturally, they wanted all of the divine help they could get.

Janus might seem like a very unusual name, but if you look through history you can see many instances of usage. The variant Januarius was a given name during the late Roman period and is the name of several saints. There is also an identical surname Janus which according to Llewellyn's Complete Book of Names comes from John. This is why there are many instances of Janus used as an alternative name for John (King John II of Cyprus was also known as Janus).

But as far as recent history goes Janus is definitely an uncommon name. I could see it having a chance. It fits in nicely with the Atticus' and the Atlas' and all the other lovely -us boys names from mythology that are becoming fashionable at the moment. There's just one practical problem with this name: it sounds like Janice. One could see how that could cause some confusion. Overall, it seems like January is getting more attention as a prospective name.

Some modern Pagans have a reluctance to using names of deities. But Janus could be a meaningful name given during a time of transition. A new year definitely qualifies.

Some Combos:

Janus Palmer

Janus Yule

Janus Wilder

Related Names:

January

Januarius

Ianos

John

A Fond Farewell

I was greatly stunned and saddened to hear of the passing of Kay M. Sheard. She ran the blog Nook of Names and wrote the amazing Llewellyn's Complete Book of Names that I use for reference in my astrology posts. She used to post regularly in the old incarnation of this blog and her insights were always invaluable. I wish peace for her family and friends. May she be embraced in the arms of her chosen gods.

The Best Books I Read in 2014



Cover design is copyright Jim Tierney

 

What is the New Year about? Well, if you're anything like me, it's about promising to read X number of books before the year is out. Last year my goal was 75. I made it to 67. That's a very good number, but it is not the number. I try to give myself some credit. Many people don't even read half that much in this country.

Out of all those books, these are the ones I believe are the best:

Hogfather by Terry Pratchett
The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly by Sun-Mi Hwang
A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki
The Creative Habit: Learn it and Use it for Life by Twyla Tharp
Siddhartha by Herman Hesse
The First True Lie by Marina Mander
Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Hopeless Savages by Jen Van Meter
Kabuki: Metamorphosis by David Mack
True Grit by Charles Portis
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories by Angela Carter

I have a sneaky suspicion that all name enthusiasts are also book nerds. Here are a few inspiring monikers from the selection up top:

Terry

Susan

Teatime

Albert

Violet

Sun

Sprout

Ruth

Nao

Twyla

Herman

Siddhartha

Marina

Luca

Katherine

Abdul

Zehrunisa

Kehkashan

Asha

Manju

Sunil

Sunita

Fatima

John

Green

Hazel

Augustus

Isaac

Rat Bastard Hopeless-Savage

Arsenal Fierce Hopeless-Savage

Twitch Strummer Hopeless-Savage

Skank Zero Hopeless-Savage

Ginger

David

Mack

Kabuki

Charles

Rooster

Mattie

Markus

Liesel

Rudy

Max

Witi

Kahu

Paikea

Koro

Flowers

Ransom

Alma

Peregrine

Jacob

Emma

Millard

Bronwyn

Claire

Abraham

Victor

Cheryl

Angela

Carter

Alice

I'm going to try for 75 books this year too. Wish me luck!

Rebirth of the Sun

Photo of Druids and Pagans celebrating the Winter Solstice at Stonehenge, photo by Mat Cardy, credit to framework.latimes.com

A Joyous Yuletide, or Winter Solstice, to all!

Do you know where the word Yule comes from? Well, it's related to the Norse god Odin. One of his many names is Jolnir, meaning "Yule father." In fact, Yule started as an indigenous midwinter festival celebrated by Germanic Pagans. We still retain many of their Yule traditions including the Yule log, the Yule goat, eating ham or boar, and caroling. Another ancient festival that influenced the holiday season as we know it is the Roman Saturnalia. Saturnalia was a week long celebration held in honor of the god Saturn. It was celebrated with gift giving, gambling, feasting, and granting special privileges to slaves. The Celts also had a midwinter festival, and although not much is known about it we do know that that is where the tradition of hanging mistletoe (a symbol of virility) comes from.

Well, that was then. This is now. How do modern Pagans celebrate the holiday season? Well, there are many different traditions, but in Wicca much attention is paid to the fact that this is the longest night of the year. After this the days grow longer and stronger. This is the time in which the Horned God (in the form of the sun) is reborn again. All matter of young sun gods and mother goddesses are honored on this season.

Here are the ways in which we party:

• Not surprisingly, many traditions will be familiar to people who celebrate Christmas. Pagans also decorate a tree, hang mistletoe and stockings, give gifts, and spend time with loved ones. They give charity and kindness to strangers just like everyone else does.
• It's getting a bit redundant to say that Pagan holidays are celebrated by lighting things on fire, but it's true. It's traditional to keep the Yule log burning all through the night of Yuletide Eve and Yule. At the very least, Pagans will have a Yule log as a decoration.
• There are various gift giving spirits for the holiday season. Some Pagans still wait for Santa Claus, especially if they have an interfaith family. One favorite for Wiccans is the Holly King who, along with the Oak King, represent the Horned God. The two battle for supremacy with the youthful Oak King winning until Midsummer. In some rituals Pagans may reenact this battle.
• For feasting the traditional foods are ham, chicken, turkey, duck, chestnuts, oranges, apples, figs, plums, pomegranates, pears, potatoes, gingerbread, caraway, and the usual assortment of cookies. Some like to make wassail, which is a spicy fruit punch that may or may not be alcoholic. There might also be a yule log cake, a.k.a. a buche de noel.
• Some Pagans like to celebrate "twelve days of Yule" by honoring twelve specific deities or spirits each day starting on the Solstice.
• Yuletide is a great time of year for making plans for the future. Casting spells that have to do with rebirth and new beginnings are common.

And now for a massive holiday dumping of names, because I love giving the gift of name inspiration:

Mythical beings associated with the season:

Holly King & Oak King (So probably just Holly and Oak, Arguably Celtic)

Odin (Norse)

Mithras (Mithraic)

Saturn (Roman)

Apollo (Greek & Roman)

Santa Claus (or Nicholas, Christian)

Alcyone (Greek)

Horus (Egyptian)

Osiris (Egyptian)

Frigga (Norse)

Dionysus (Roman)

Frau Holle (German)

Ameratasu (Japanese)

La Befana (Italian Christian)

Juno (Roman)

Isis (Egyptian)

Ceres (Roman)

Demeter (Greek)

Nephthys (Egyptian)

Arianrhod (Welsh)

Cerridwen (Welsh)

Freya (Norse)

Gaia (Greek)

Morrigan (Irish)

Fortuna (Roman)

Other suggestions:

Yule

December

Decembra

Decimus

Winter

Midwinter

Solstice

Sol

Invictus

Invicta

Sunny

Sunshine

Io

Golden

Silver

Crimson

Garnet

Emerald

Rosemary

Orion

Wren

Robin

Draco

Klaus

Mistletoe

Ivy

Clove

Tannen

Snowlily

Cinnamon

Ginger

Hibiscus

Dove

Paloma

Cardinal

North

Renata ("reborn")

Ravi ("sun")

Zohara ("light, brilliance")

Carol

Phoebus ("bright, pure")

Phoebe

Noel ("birth")

Natalie

Orange

Nutmeg

Caraway

Glimmer

Radiance

Mirth

Joy

Jolie

Dawn

Poinsettia

Lucia

Luz

Lux

Evergreen

Spruce

Pine

Branch

Bay

Juniper

Cressida ("golden")

Rime ("frost")

Frost

Snowden

Alban ("white")

Festus

Allegra ("cheerful, lively")

Drummer

Isolde ("ice battle")

Farah ("joy")

Felicity

Festus

Hilary ("cheerful")

Merry

Turquoise

Elk

Onyx

Jupiter

Lettice ("joy, happiness")

Lowender ("mirth")

Dora ("gift")

Antler

Garland

Acorn

Fun combo time:

Felicity Rime

Yule Evergreen

Klaus Garland

Juniper Allegra

Draco Drummer

Fortuna Lux

Phoebus North

Rosemary Snow

Io Golden

Apollo Wren

Orion Sol

Robin Jolie

Paloma Solstice

Ravi Oak

Noel Caraway