@welpnotagain she got as far as choking one of them but it got awkward before any burning could happen... 😅

Hmmm that’s an interesting question! It depends on what you consider a True Name I suppose.

The idea of having a true name that holds immense power is very widespread. I’ve seen it in Egyptian mythology, there it is a name that only the owner knows, no one ever uses it and it is not given by anyone, it just Is.

An often used one, of course, is that it is a name given by your parent, but it’s not often used. Where I come from it was tradition to give your child a second “baptism name” that no one ever uses. This was supposed to protect them from any evil meaning to gain control over them. It’s also not uncommon around the world to have a formal name and a “name that you’re called”, which is essentially a nickname, but no one ever uses the full one. The effect is the same: the evil never hears your true name.

Another fun interpretation I’ve seen is that your “true name” is the first name you ever gave yourself. This could be a mispronunciation of your given name, a completely new chosen name, or even the name of a childhood alter ego thought of in play. I rather like that idea, but it’s not very practical magic-wise. What if you forget the name you gave yourself when you were three??