The Language of Magic: What Do You Call Yourself?

Have you ever found yourself hesitating when someone asks, “So… what exactly do you do?” Maybe your tongue trips over the words “witch” or “healer,” or you default to “I do energy work,” while inwardly you wish you could just shout “I’m a Magus!” with full conviction. In the magical world, names aren’t just labels—they’re spells. And choosing what to call yourself can be both liberating and deeply confusing.

Photo by Paige Cody on Unsplash

I remember the first time I was asked if I was a witch. I felt like a deer in headlights. I was practicing divination, working with herbs, and deeply connected to lunar cycles, but was I ready to wear that name? The hesitation didn’t come from shame, but from a weighty awareness that words hold power. Every title whispered or spoken aloud becomes a sigil carved into the soul. That moment sent me on a years-long quest of magical self-identification, collecting words like treasures and trying them on like cloaks.

In this post, we delve into the heart of magical identity. Whether you’re a Lightworker or a Shadow Witch, a Volva or a Hedge Rider, what you call yourself matters. We’ll explore the language used in the magical community, the meanings behind common and uncommon titles, and how to find a label—or create one—that feels like home. Because here at Nevermore Lane, we believe that your magic is yours to name.

Why Identity Matters in the Magical World

When you step into the magical path, you don’t just learn new tools—you become someone new. That transformation often starts with words. In a community built on intuition and symbolism, the titles we choose carry the energy of our beliefs, our culture, and our practice.

Identity is more than an aesthetic. It influences how we perceive ourselves and how others perceive us. A person who calls themselves a Witch may conjure images of spellcraft, ancestry, and moonlit rituals, while someone who prefers Energy Healer might evoke chakras, Reiki, or hands-on lightwork: same soul, different spellbook.

And yet, labels can also feel limiting. Do you need to fit into a box to belong? Absolutely not. However, understanding the language of magic provides a shared way to connect, celebrate our differences, and grow together. So, what do you call yourself? And why does it matter?

✨ The Classic Titles: Witch, Healer, Lightworker

Some titles feel like home because they’ve been echoed through generations. “Witch” is perhaps the most evocative. Reclaimed from centuries of persecution, it now encompasses a diverse range of practices, including herbalism, spellwork, astrology, divination, and more. Yet, not everyone feels at ease with the term. For some, it holds ancestral pain or public misunderstanding.

“Lightworker,” on the other hand, entered the magical lexicon with a more modern, New Age feel. It implies a connection to divine energy, healing, and a commitment to serving the collective. Lightworkers often engage with angels, spirit guides, and the higher self, emphasizing love and transcendence. It’s a title that vibrates with celestial resonance, but may not appeal to those who walk a darker or more earth-based path.

Then there’s “Healer,” a soft yet powerful term that encompasses practices ranging from Reiki to shamanic journeying. It focuses on service, on facilitating transformation and wellness. While it’s broad enough to include various modalities, it also invites reflection: are we always healing, or sometimes also breaking, clearing, or awakening? Each of these titles—Witch, Lightworker, Healer—carries distinct energy. The key is finding the one that reflects your truth.

🌀 The Esoteric and the Enigmatic: Magus, Mystic, and More

For some, the everyday titles just don’t capture the depth of their practice. Enter the Magus, the Mystic, the Sorceress. These are the names that shimmer with ancient power, evoking images of secret societies, arcane books, and star-mapped destinies. They’re not always used in casual conversation, but when they are, they carry considerable weight.

A Magus is often seen as a master of ceremonial magic, rituals, alchemical transformation, and theurgy. Think planetary alignments, sigils, and sacred geometry. It’s a term that nods to Hermetic traditions and high magic. If this is your path, you may feel more attuned to working with cosmic laws than elemental correspondences.

Mystic is a beautiful, fluid word. It’s less about what you do and more about how you see the world. Mystics seek union with the divine, often through contemplation, trance, or deep spiritual insight. If you feel pulled toward inner visions, silence, and the poetry of the unseen, this might be your soul-name.

Other terms, such as Seer, Diviner, or Oracle, point to specific gifts. Each is a brushstroke on the canvas of magical identity. Don’t be afraid to claim a title that feels a little lofty—it may be your spirit reminding you of your own majesty.

🌿 Culturally Rooted Names: Bruja, Volva, Strega

Many magical identities are tied to ancestral traditions and cultural lineage. These names don’t just describe what someone does—they reflect where they come from. For those who practice folk magic, these titles carry layers of heritage, pride, and sometimes pain.

A “Bruja” is a witch in Spanish-speaking cultures, but her practice is rich with regional differences—curanderismo, Santería, brujería, and beyond. It’s a term that has been reclaimed with power, especially in diasporic communities. To call oneself a Bruja is often an act of cultural remembrance and spiritual resistance.

“Volva” is an Old Norse term, referring to a female seeress or shamanic figure in ancient Scandinavian societies. Volvas worked with runes, trance states, and ancestral wisdom. Today, some modern practitioners, especially those drawn to Norse paganism or animist paths, are reclaiming this title with deep reverence.

“Strega” originates from Italian traditions and is associated with folk magic, herbal remedies, and occasionally Catholic mysticism. Stregheria—the modern interpretation—is a path that involves lunar cycles, ancestral rites, and devotion to nature. These titles are not just aesthetic choices; they are bridges to bloodlines, culture, and memory.

If you’re considering a culturally rooted name, approach with care and respect. Are you connected to that heritage? Are you honoring the practices or simply borrowing them? Identity in magic is deeply personal, but it is also deeply relational.

🧙‍♀️ Creating Your Own Magical Name

Not every magical practitioner finds solace in traditional titles. Sometimes, the most empowering choice is to forge a new one. Creating your own magical name can be an act of radical self-definition. It’s a spell of becoming, a declaration of who you are and who you’re becoming.

Some people receive their names from guides or in dreams. Others craft theirs based on numerology, astrology, or personal symbolism. You might blend languages, invent words, or revive ancient ones. Your magical name can be secret, public, or ritual-only. It can change over time as you evolve.

Think of magical names like mirrors—they reflect different aspects of your soul. A name like “Silverthorn Moon” might speak to your connection to the divine feminine and the natural world. “Ashwalker” could hint at a death-rebirth initiation. Don’t worry if it sounds too “out there.” In this space, you are allowed to be poetic and powerful.

And if no name calls to you just yet? That’s okay too. Sometimes the waiting is part of the weaving.

🕯️ Living Your Name, Embodying Your Path

Once you’ve chosen—or uncovered—your magical identity, the next step is living into it. This means aligning your words, actions, and energy with that name. If you call yourself a Priestess, what does that look like in your daily life? How do you serve, speak, and carry yourself?

Names are not just labels. They’re invitations to rise. To show up. To deepen your path. It’s not about perfection—it’s about intention. Whether you’re teaching classes, lighting candles at your altar, or simply tending to your home with care, your magic flows through the identity you claim.

And remember: you are not locked into any one name forever. You are a living being, growing and shifting. Let your titles evolve as you do. The words you speak today may be stepping stones to even more luminous expressions of your truth.

🌙 Come, Sit With Me a While

The language of magic is as infinite as the stars, and your name is a constellation waiting to be charted. Whether you walk as a Bruja, a Lightworker, a Volva, or a title uniquely your own, know that your identity is sacred. You are allowed to change, to evolve, to redefine yourself as often as needed. You are the spell. You are the scribe.

Thank you for walking this path with me today. If this stirred something in you, I invite you to keep exploring. Read more stories, rituals, and reflections right here on Nevermore Lane. And if you’d like to talk magic, labels, or life over a virtual cup of coffee, join me. I’d love to hear what you call yourself.

Until next time, my luminous friend ✨

 Like what you read? Drop me a line – let’s chat over virtual coffee. 

~ Chrystal