Thread: Name Advice

I have been trying to break away from my dance name since I used to have it in a dance company and I no longer associate with them.

The Names I have picked is

Almas - Diamonds
Ameena - Faithful
Raja - Hopeful
Adira - Strong
Aysel - Moonlight
Mira - Strong
Callista - Most Beautiful
Electra - The Shining One
Calypso - Sea nymph

I like Almas and Mira. (although Mira is already taken by Mira Betz...)

You may want to take a look here. . .

http://www.asamed.citymax.com/DancersNameRegistry.html

{{{hugs}}}

I like Callista. It is more unusual and fun to say. It would be pretty printed with the "C" being decorative.

Depends what style of dancing you do...I like the more 'traditional' names for classic Egyptian style dancers (not to say that everyone has to use the same names but, for me, it's like labelling the package) whereas for tribal or more fusion style dancer Electra/Calypso etc seems a better 'fit'...but of course, that's only my opinion

What is your real name?

raja is very pretty
raji is a variation you might want to consider too.

imo electra has been too associated with carmen and comic books.

I like Adira best...

All good names. My method was to find a word that I felt was descriptive of my "inner dance being" and the find that same word in several languages and then choose one that was easily pronouncable and short.

Thanks for the advice everyone. :)

I am looking for a new name because I am trying to reinvent myself as a dancer.

I am a classical egyptian caberet.

My real name is Jennifer.

I looked up on the name registery and I decided to pick some new names the one I am leaning towards is:

Celeste

Other Options would be:

Calliope
Canisa
Carma

Celeste...like it...

Originally Posted by maria_s

I like Almas and Mira. (although Mira is already taken by Mira Betz...)

...and Mirah Ammal

Seriously, though...the advice about picking a name that "speaks" to you and your inner dancer/inner persona is the best advice there is, as you're probably not going to be able to find a name that no one else anywhere has. I mean...obviously, you might not want to pick the exact same name as a very very well-known dancer or as a reasonably well-known dancer operating in the same local/regional area and similar style. And...it also matters what YOU plan to do. If you're looking to be a "pro" and work outside your local market, then you'll need to be more concerned about not choosing a name that will cause confusion, but if you're more avocational or only planning to work locally...it's less of an issue. (In other words...depending where you are and what you do, Mira could be just fine, if that's the one you like. ;-)

Other things to think about when choosing a name...
Related to the what do you plan to do...how do you plan to use the name? Again, if this is just something you're doing avocationally, choose a name that feels fun and makes you feel good, like your "inner dancer." If you're picking a "business name"...then you need to think about a few more things. Like...who will be your clients, and what does the name mean to THEM. Is it easy enough to pronounce? If, say, many of your clients would be Arabs but the name you love is Hebrew in origin...is that the right choice? And do you want people you never met calling you by that name all the time? (I know several women who initially took dance names for their businesses but eventually changed to their real first names or a first name similar to their real first names with a "dance" surname after a while because they couldn't get used to answering to an odd name like that.

Just my $0.02. I think many of these names are lovely, so it's really about what feels good to you! Best of luck!

Thanks for the link to the name registry.

I agree on picking a name that suits your style. I have been sad to find out that my chosen name (that I have been using for creative pursuits for 15 years so it only made sense to use for bellydance) cannot be pronounced in Arabic. It's Greek, so it seemed to fit the genre, but I don't do Greek style bellydance, and, as it turns out, Arabic doesn't have a letter P. You should have seen my face on day one of Arabic class when I found out there was no letter P!

What exactly is the purpose of registering your dance name?
Just to let other know there is someone in their community... or does it give them special rights to that name?

I've been Caasi for more years than I can possibly remember and it doesn't bother me that there is another person using that name in the UK.

I don't know - I think it would be useful if people wanted to pick a name and see if anyone else in their community was using it. Or see if someone really famous was using it already. You don't want to pick "Jillina" for example.

In my community there was a minor hub bub when a younger dancer was dancing as a certain name, and an older, more established dancer already had that name. The only thing was - the younger dancer a) had that name as a given name and b) added a second name to it. So I don't think the older dancer really had a leg to stand on in that case. But, you don't want to cause confusion and possible upsetness by using the same name.

There is a sdancer here in LA who dances frequently in IAMED video's and shows named Celeste. . .

I believe that the ideal behind the registry is to help mitigate the number of duplications and also some misappropriating of names.

When I was choosing my dance name, I knew that there were several Jamilias, which is the meaning of my real name. I was helped to find a couple of options. There was one other Tahira which I could find at that time, but she was in Kentuckey and she used a second name. there is also a Tahira in Brazil.

here is a link to a resource of ME girls names and their meanings. . .

Female Middle Eastern Names

maybe that will be helpful!

{{{{HUGS}}}

Enlist the help of a friend who can "call" out the several options you've chosen.

Pick the one you responded most naturally to, whether it "sounds" good to you or you just feel an instant connection with it, once you hear it out loud and directed at you. Don't even look at your friend. Stand with your back turned so that you only hear the name and are not warned as to when the name will be called out.

I've known dancers who picked a name but when someone called their name, they didn't respond to it. Perhaps it was too arbitrary or the vibrations just didn't resonate with the person's ears/psyche.