For many, Burn events are a chance to reinvent the self. Bliss Dance sculpture by Marco Cochrane. Black Rock City, 2010. Photo by Michael Holden.
Burner Name, –noun, Burning Man is a place to experiment with identity. Who are you when you are on the playa? Some would say that Burners are closest to their true selves at these events. For some that means casting off the name they were born with, or at least the one they use in reality camp, and adopting a new one.
Some Burner Names (also known as Playa Names) are selected by the individual. Others are given as a gift. Some participants argue that only gifted names are valid, but this idea is far from universally accepted (and may be the vestige of the burnier-than-thou). Regardless of how they are obtained, it would be considered rude to ask a new acquaintance for their ‘real name.’ No matter how strange it sounds, a Burner Name is their name, at least until after the effigy burns and everyone goes home.
Rangers also adopt special monikers while on-duty. This Ranger Name may or may not be the same as their Burner Name. For some, being a Ranger is so integral to their Burn experience that the word ‘Ranger’ becomes a permanent part of their title.
Of course one doesn’t need a Burner Name — the lexicographer has always been Kit wherever he goes. Except when he’s not.
Thanks to Cruella, Erika Maasen and Shanlea for suggestions leading to this entry.
Other entries in A Burner Lexicon can be found at http://kitoconnell.com/lexicon/
Comments (7)
As a founding member of Identi-T Farm, I would like to add that we have been giving names out on the playa since 2009. As much as we love spontaneous name giving, we realized that a lot of people never have that magical moment happen to them, so we decided to help them along. We use a team of 2 people or more, interviewing the person that wants a name, it takes about 20 minutes per person, we ask a lot of serious and silly questions, trying to get to the essence of that person.The team writes down keywords that may pop up during our ‘therapy session” and then we all have to feel our way into an agreement on the name. We then “gift” the name, and they are free to accept it or pass if they don’t identify with it. We then do a little baptismal ceremony and send them on their dusty way.
Love & Bacon,
Polar Bear.
@Polar Bear: That is a great service to the playa community. Thanks for visiting and sharing it with us!
Hello,
as I was stumbling across the vast ePlaya for my first time, I was led to this site; I VERY much appreciate the time and effort put into this glossary, so a major thanks to you! :)
Unfortunately, I haven’t even been on the real playa yet, though I am determined to go this year. While learning about it, I came upon the regional events of Texas, but it seems I’ve missed the window of opportunity for those already.
Still, nice to find an active and leading participant so close by. :) Also, my curiosity was piqued upon your mention of the Houston Art Nerd group, so I sent an add request (I’m new to Houston, and somewhat of an artist myself; I think I’ll fit in well enough).
Cheers.
Mary: Thank you for your comment and for visiting. I am glad the Lexicon has been helpful to you. It’s great to hear you are in Texas — there is a thriving, year-round Burn community here in addition to the major Burning Flipside event. You are right that the true ticket window has passed, but that does not mean all chances to get tickets — or to experience Burner culture in Texas are past.
I saw your request come through on Houston Art Nerds, but it looks like someone else approved it — is this true? In any case I sent you a FB friend request so we can chat more about the Burn here.
Thank you for the information! I’m fairly new to the Texas Burner community and just recently received my Burner name. Other friends are still waiting and hoping. It made me wonder — is there a list anywhere of “taken” Burner names? I’ve heard people say that certain names can’t be used because they’re already taken and well-known. How do you find out what those taken names are? Thanks!
@Spunky: Congrats on your new playa name. Remember that you can help your friends find theirs, and they can help themselves too.
As for names which are taken, that’s an interesting topic. There’s no big list anywhere. The process similar to how when a group of friends have been hanging out for a long time, when the second ‘James’ joins they might come up with a nickname for either both, because they already have a James. But obviously there are a lot of Jameses out there even so.
In our community, Nobody is pretty well known, so if someone else tries to call themselves the same thing it’ll probably get shot down. Go to the New York regional community and it might be a very different matter. Some names can easily repeat from theme camp to theme camp, but others are too well known. Some names like Danger Ranger or The Hat become known on a national level. It all amounts to what will catch on and what others can accept.
For a while I was the “only” Kit, so I didn’t have much of a Burner name. Then there was another — we joke about which one of us is ‘Other Kit.’ But now there are more of us in the Texas scene, so she’s recently taken on a new name and I’ve been experimenting with Wonka (my Ranger Name), or Satyr.
Thanks for your comment.
I was a “stealth virgin” last year. All my friends are burners and it they had Playa names, I knew them way before we got to the desert. However, my favorite name experience occurred after dawn on a stray couch in the middle of 9th and portal.
A girl, dressed in purple fur, spilled damned near everything she had off the side of the couch and everything went everywhere. I pointed at her, and instantly named her “Moopy.” I’d never met her before, didn’t know any prior name… and Moopy stuck. It instantly made everyone laugh, even her… at the end of the week I went and made sure Moopy had a good burn.