The Complete Book of Magical Names
Phoenix McFarland
Llewellyn Publications
Nonfiction, Magic/Reference
Themes: Occult
*****
Description
Long before everyone was a Tom, Dick, Harry, or Jane, names were very sacred. The bestowing of a name upon a child, or the taking of a new name at a personal milestone, was not something one did simply by thinking of what sounded good. Words, even names, have meanings. This book explains how to use the old methods to select unique, powerful, and distinctive names.
Review
Though emphasizing pagans, it can be used by anyone who wants to step away from the norm. This book is a very good, complete, and interesting reference, touching on historical naming practices and expanding horizons to include the inventions of fantasy and sci-fi authors. For writers (or would-be writers), it makes a great resource for helping one come up with unique, meaningful, and memorable character names.