Names, names everywhere, and not a one that fits…

As I prep for my first completely un-associated-with-school show, lately the question of naming has really been pressing on my mind…  More heavily than it usually does.. which, if you know me at all, is a pretty great, ever-constant weight. I’ve had a long-standing love/hate relationship w/names ever since I was little, and now that I’m embarking on my dance performance journey, finding a good name is -really- important to me.  It goes deeper than just finding something that sounds pretty.  It’s gotta resonate w/me on a deep, emotional & spiritual level too, plus exemplify the qualities that I’m looking to embody as a dancer, in addition to the qualities I’d like to evoke and whichi I hope to cultivate in my dance pursuits.  (I know, no easy task, right? ;))

I often conjure up names myself, and in addition to the many hours of naming research I’ve done online.  Then, when I find stuff I like, I take numerology into account.  If I come upon a name whose numbers don’t work for what I’m looking for, onto the next.  And while I still do such things now, I’m starting to wonder if this is weighing too heavily on my search and ability to find something that works for me… ..Do you/have you done anything like this?  Are there certain things that help guide dancers to their “right” names (spirituality, family history, etc.), or do y’all just pick something in a book or out of the ether that *feels* right..?  

I’d thought I’d found my name, but kept getting told that it was too complex and no one would be able (or willing) to read / remember it.  So, I’ve had to go back to the drawing board.  (Apologies for the bad artist’s humor, there. ;))  What characteristics do you look for in a good dance name?  Have you found certain things really work in the realm of dancers’ monikers, and/or seen/heard some things that really don’t?  What do you think about people who name themselves after deities or major historical figures?  Do you find it egotistical, or feel that they’re just seeking to embody the characteristics of that figure in their dance/work?

When finding a dance name first occurred to me 3 years ago, “Ananda Y/Iara” came into my head.  Last year I thought I’d research the words, n’ found out that they mean “blissful/happy” and “water lady/water goddess,” which are, for me, pretty damn perfect. :)  -But over time I’ve found that “Yara”/”Iara” is already used here n’ there in bellydance, and I’d really like to prevent using a stage name that’s already in practice.  So names like “Iruuna” and “Lyara” started coming to me, “Yllyria” and “Yl’aria” work nicely in sound and numerologically as well, and even combining stuff like “Iruuna Yara” has occurred to me.  (But I figure if I go that route, why wouldn’t my original set-upon “Yluriananda” work..?)  

Hell, I’d just use “Ylluria,” but the numbers don’t work out, and when I shift the spelling to get them to work, I’m not too terribly fond of the look of them.  (“Eluria” which has been done to death, and “Yluriya,” which just soooo doesn’t look right to me…) :P  So now I just feel totally lost…

Do you have any thoughts, ideas or suggestions..?

Many Thanks & Great Love,
Ylluria