According to folk beliefs from Europe, Africa, and other global traditions, saying the name of a witch aloud is not just impolite—it’s dangerous. This verbal avoidance stems from the idea that names contain magical or spiritual essence. Uttering a known or suspected witch’s name, especially in contexts such as nighttime, near reflective surfaces, or during significant celestial events, was believed to expose the speaker to supernatural retaliation.
The risk extended beyond personal harm: speaking a witch’s name might draw their awareness, awaken a dormant curse, or forge a spiritual link between the speaker and the witch. This danger was considered especially potent if the name was spoken during ritual times, such as solstices or lunar phases. Similar cautions exist in traditions warning against saying the names of demons, spirits, or the dead.
Avoidance practices varied, including using euphemisms (“the woman in black,” “she who whispers”) or substituting symbols and gestures in place of verbal identification. The fear embedded in such customs reflects longstanding human anxieties about language’s capacity to connect realms—whether physical, spiritual, or psychological.
