Magician, Sorcerer, Wizard?, What do you consider yourself? Options

Good evening,

This is perhaps a topic that has been mentioned quite regularly, but what in your opinion should a male practicing magic call himself? Why do some choose to call themselves "magician" instead of "wizard." Next, when should a male, or female for that matter, begin to call themselves by these different names? It is sad to think that an armchair magician is calling himself a great and powerful mage. I understand that these different names have to do a lot with your background, but I thought I'd get everyone's imput on the classification of these sorts of men and women alike. Shouldn't a woman who practices magic be considered a witch? Or shouldn't a male who does the same thing consider himself a magician? Let's keep things simple, right? There seem to always be complications that arise with the term. What do you consider yourself and why? What's your background? Any thoughts would be a very interesting read.

Sincerely,

Mr. Curi

I consider myself a Magician, Mage or Omnimancer (since I practice Omnimancy). I mostly use the nomenclature of Mage for myself. I started with Norse Runes and dabbled in Enochian about 15 years ago for a year or two before going the way I went to give more background.

I'm not sure if a male/female difference in terms should matter at all, but in some magical "cultures" it seems to as it suits their needs.

I suppose names are used based on the images it gives oneself, which obviously includes their familiarity. What one calls oneself has much to do with what they want others to think about them when they hear the name. To give others the same images about themselves that they are trying to show of themselves.

The problem is, everyone has different images with different spins on them. There are no standards, partially because everyone wants THEIR standard to be standard. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) An ocean of magical practitioners that can't interact well because the definitions they use for the same terms are different even though they use the same language. Sad really.

Definitions of names are too influenced by Pop Culture (either by movies or other media) who didn't really care what the original definitions were anyway, so their definitions become the new ones, which just confuses matters more. The example of Witch being a female, and a Warlock being Male in my own head comes from the TV series "Bewitched". Wiccans say that all members of their faith are witches. There are many witches that aren't wiccan. Some use the Bewitched definitions, some don't.

In the end, definitions seem to be defined by the masses, even if academia says it should be otherwise. Sometimes academia wins, but for more often it doesn't. It's kind of like trying to define what's "pagan". There is no one answer. Mage, Wizard, Witch, Warlock, etc. become umbrella terms. Best you can hope for if you want more information is for them to talk about what they do more directly. Best definition of WHEN to start calling yourself such names is when you feel its right. Without a hard definition of such terms, that's the best one can hope for.

I consider myself a Magician, Mage or Omnimancer (since I practice Omnimancy).

I'm alittle confused. From my knowledge of the suffix "-mancy", Omnimancy would mean being able to predict events from anything?

When I was little, (Some would probably still consider me little) I used to have my tiny grimoire that I made out of sewed together leaves and all my other magic tools, I would think "If dad ever found out I was a witch, he'd disown me!"
But, later, I began to dislike the name. It wasn't for what it represented or the way it sounded, it was just a spontaneous dislike.
So I tried out many different names. I stuck with "chaote" for awhile when I happened to stumble upon that particular area of magick.
But then I began to dislike that name as well.
Now, I usually just say that "magically influenced" and people call me what they want.

I'm alittle confused. From my knowledge of the suffix "-mancy", Omnimancy would mean being able to predict events from anything?

The name was derived by the more modern interpretation of "-mancy". In the original latin, you are correct, it would mean "divination by", however in the modern context the suffix -mancy is greatly expanded and includes the concept of magic. Hence "necromancy" isn't considered simply divination by the dead by most people, but a magical system involving the dead, which CAN including divination by the dead. I don't speak latin, and it's likely you don't either, so it's generally not a concern by most.

The Omni part more refers to the many "schools"/divisions of magic practiced within the system that became too numerous to put under a simplier title.

I hope that answers your question.