I've been reading up lately on craft names and am not sure if I really want to use one.  I don't truly understand the need for one, so I would love to hear other people's opinions on this subject.  I don't use my real name much online, obviously, but I don't think I want to use a "craft name" on OR offline.  I like my birth name (not necessarily the first husband's last name that I still have legally...long story...) and would like to know the ethics behind this subject.   (thinking)  
Besides, the only names I would seriously use would be things like "witchy woman" or "greenkitty" or something stupid like that!

GreenKitty is such an awesome name!  I'll start calling you that, lol  Yeah, I don't really understand it. I like my name, not a lot of people have it. It's a gift from my parent's, though my dad was going to call me newt, after the character in the Alien movie.. He was going to call my bro Maynerd. hehe. But as for the post, I guess it's like some catholics taking another middle name when they become dedicated or whatever in catholocism, it's just showing you're a new person.. that's how I think of it. Maryn Hampton is my name online, a lot of sites I go to, that is me. I made up maryn, and Hampton was a char's last name in a romance novel I loved, lol. not to mention a very nice chain of hotels up here. So that's my take on it. keep your name, you don't have to take another, like you said, if you don't want to.

mara

I use a magickal name when I am speaking with the Divine and in Circle. It assists me in using my subconscious instead of my consious self. It is a sacred relationship and I feel it is best to use a name that is used just for that reason and not in everyday life. It does not carry with it all the emotional baggage.

Blessings Bright and Dark,

I tend to agree with your point of view Seamonster; I've never felt the need for a Craft name.  I think many people create their Craft names as a means to adapt to a new identity when they begin their transition to the Craft.  I have never viewed my involvement with magic as a transformation.  Rather, I beleive it to be an exploration of unacknowledged aspects of myself.

I took a craft name because it reminded me of my grandmother Josephine. So everytime I use I think of her.

I don't think I chose Lavendar-Ice as a "craft Name" b/c I don't belong to a coven and I don't use it in ritual either, I did put alot of thought into it b/c of the tagging along of whatever the name stood for  or the properties that come along with it ( i hope that made sense!!) but it fits me and my life and it works online!!!!! fLav

I'm not sure how to chime in with this one. The chice of a name is persoanl. Our names have meaning to our parents when they coose them for us, just as coosing a craft name is personal to you when and if you so choose to choose one. then, there are times when our names are given to us, as in birth, at times in our lives when it seems to be needed, as in my case. ( I know a few of you are now shakiong your heads trying to get the spinning to stop LOL)

My name, Novia was given to me when I was younger and under the tutilage of a wise woman. She called me Novia, and it stuck. i was 8, and Novia is still me. My mindane name is Carol, but in dealing with anything to do with the Divine, even on my groups, I am Novia.

It helps me to know when it is time for my lower self to step aside for my higher self.

Believe it or not, I know the difference between Carol and Novia. A dual personality thing I guess.

So, no one can tell you if you should choose a name, if you have to ask, I think you have your answer.

When I ascended to HP I chose the name Morkatt Wildwind mainly because it is a common practice in our community to have a "working" name.  Morkatt (aka "mom cat") has been my casual name for a while now, and the "cat magic" in me has been felt by people whom I had never met before (in a healing circle at a Pagan gathering in Florida a number of people commented on it at different times)..  The Wildwind comes from my love for stormy weather and being a storm spotter for the National Weather Service.  It serves me as a public working name but my true (or craft name, as it were) is known only to me.

To me it is a matter of personal preference.  If you are uncomfortable with the thought of a different name there is no rule that says you need one.  And you never know, maybe some day a name will just pop into your head and you'll feel it is the right name for you.  If that happens - great!  If it doesn't - no big deal.

Blessings!

Morkatt

I actually did have a dream recently where a name was sort of tossed my direction.  Although I'm not sure I'm quite ready for it because it was a situation in the dream where I was asking about a person and someone said, "She likes to be called ... "  That other person also happened to be me.  I think that it is the beginning of a new time for me to seriously think about it, but not necessarily to take it on.  I really need to feel connected to the name before I can truly adopt it.  I'm getting there.  There is a little bit of research that has to be done first in regard to the "parts" of the name and why this was chosen specifically for me, as I don't understand.  A part of it has to do with a water element, and although I've always been rather fond of the water, I've always considered myself more of an earth person.  (Thus the hesitancy...WHY am I subconsciously choosing this name?)  The other part of the name is a specific tree, but why THAT tree in particular.  Why not one I know more about...lol?  I think the Goddess seriously wants me to study up on myself and the name before I make that connection, because SOMEWHERE along the line the two of us must go together.  I am not concerned with the WHEN so much as I am the WHY.
I have plenty of time.

SeaMonster,

I felt the same way for years.  My cousin, who was practicing egyptian magic at the time, kept insisting I had to have a magical name to practice spellcraft or even energywork.  But nothing felt right.  In fact, everything felt wrong.  I ended up going by Lady Wraith, then Raith, sort of as an ode to my inability to find a name.  Then, six years after the day I started looking, I read a name and there I was.  There was nothing spectacular about it.  But it felt like me.  So, what I'm trying to say is, don't worry about it too much.  If you're meant to have a name, it'll pop up eventually when you're least expecting it.

R

me i quested for mine on the spirit planes but wether or not you chose a craft name or not is up to you even when i ocasionaly work with a coven i still don't use my craft name . I give them a differnt name usualy my ren fair name. especialy in my faith names hold power to name something gives it power. So my suggestion to you would be if you do chose or find a name keep it secret and in doing so keeping yourself safe

The choice of a craft name is a personal one, but it helps me seperarate myself from the mundane world. In true Gemini fashion, I have two parts to myself and two identities. I have thought long and hard about the subject. I have practicing for many years and chose my name when I was 12 as a rite of passage to myself. It symbolized my transformation from the regular self and the spiritual self. I have read some where that practioners of the past used craft names to hide thier true identity for fear of persicution by the Catholic mobs. I dont know if that is 100 % true but it does make sense.

For years I wondered if I would ever choose a "craft name" If fact I didn't even try for a while. Penny was just fine. An I hadn't given much thought to it. Yet I reread this the other day, and can to realize i had unknowningly created one. I've used these 2 names off and on for years. To different names that had come together. During my rituals and such and the once in awhile group, I've been come to be known as Raven Indeshadows. I had once given thought to dropping the use of Indeshadows, for I didn't want to be in the shadows of life anymore. Yet I really wasn't in the shadows so to speak, yet find great delight in the wonders of shadows. I know these may not make any sense. But there it is everywheres I go, Raven Indeshadows is so much a part of me I couldn't even think of giving it up. Will it change, who knows. Does it matter if you have one or not? No I really don't think so. As others have said before it's very personal and can aid in seperating from the mundane.

When I started practicing a long time ago, I read and read and read everything, including the use of a magickal name.  For a long time, I didn't use one, even though I thought I needed one. I meditated and asked for a name to be given to me, but nothing. So I figured that I didn't need one.  When I met my first HPs, we spoke about it and she said that "when the time is right, your name will appear to you."  Not long after that, I decided on my first magickal name (I have had 2 subsequent to that one).  As I spoke to many different people, they all told me that your magickal name can and will change and evolve with you as you change and evolve in the craft.  They were very right!  I use my magickal name only in rituals and in sacred space, as it is very sacred to me.  
If it feels right to you to have one, then have one; if it doesn't feel right, then don't.  Trust your intuition- no one knows better than you.

I like this whole thread of explaining your name game - it's neat

Remember names can change and evolve as you do, so use what feels right now. You're not locked into it. I started as Starcraze...heehee. Always loved the night sky. Eventually, after realizing (hee) my very poor eyesight was a gift of sorts, and my license plate sporting the letters "EYZ", I came up with RealEyez. I'm also a fan of nouns that can be used a verbs.

Anyways, I thought it was truly original until I saw it on a poster in an eye doctors office on a episode of "Crank Yankers". Oh well. It's done me right so far. The phoenix was also from personal experience. Helped me with my focus at the time.