One of the most exciting aspects of The Grimoire Renaissance™®© in the last decade or so, is the constant updating, refining and ‘dialing in’ of magical procedures, techniques and processes. As the poet Walt Whitman says: “All goes onward and outward, nothing collapses.” That un-collapsable-ish-ness includes updated pronunciation and spelling of commonly-recited Divine names used during spirit invocation or evocations: including updated names which we will discuss here!
Before we get into these four updated name pronunciations, why does this even matter? Well, in Western Ceremonial Magic, or Solomonic grimoiric spirit evocation, the correct pronunciation of nomina magica, or magical divine names, is vital to a successful conjuring of spirits. These names - like Adonay Shaddai, Tzebaoth, El, Hagios, Tetragrammaton, o Theos, Ischyros, Athanatos, Paracletus and many others - are usually some derivation of Hebrew, Greek, Arabic or Latin names of God. Or, commonly, these names can be verba ignota (“unknown words”), as found in the Ars Notoria angel grimoire, for example, with names like ‘suafnezenon inhancon maninas gereuran’. These names are spoken, chanted, or sung aloud (“vibrated” if you prefer) as part of spirit evocation to show the operator’s authority and ambassadorial connection to the Divine: the mage is impressing upon the spirit that they are someone authorized to wield the names and authority of God to facilitate the successful conjuring, manifesting and binding of a spirit.
TLDR/Recap Image Below For Those Too Timid To Read The Entire Context!
But also, knowing about a name builds ‘subjective synthesis’, a concept developed by Dr. Joseph Lisiewski in his book “Ceremonial Magic and Power of Evocation”. Basically, Lisiewski says that the more you know about and explore a ritual, its history, meaning and kinetics, the more you integrate and develop a connection to the names, the ritual and the process of evocation. So, the more you know about the meaning of a name, or the history of a spirit, the more ‘esoteric gravity’ you have, if you will, to better pull in spirits into the orbit of your ritual.
We have four ‘updated’ names that are found in popular grimoires that I’d like to draw attention to, and I’ve invited some experts in Hebrew and Greek pronunciation to help out with these names! So, let’s get started!
The first word is Amioram, which is seen in many well-known grimoires, like the Heptameron and the Lemegeton’s Goetia. This name, however, is very likely a corruption of the Hebrew Ha-Nora, meaning “The Terrible” or “The Awesome”, and the more correct version of the name in the grimoires is rendered “Annora”. Let’s get into some of the details:
Amioram (or also spelled Amiorem) is found in famous grimoires like the Lemegeton’s Goetia, the Heptameron and others. In the Goetia, Amioram is used in at least three separate conjurations (called the first Conjuration, The Constraint and The General Curse, called the Spirits Chaine against all spirits that Rebel), and each designed to build up more magical tension. In the Heptameron grimoire, this name is used during the part of the ritual known as the Exorcism of the Spirits of the Air, the powerful conjuration also known as the Vinculum Salomonis, or the bond or chain of Solomon, during what is argubably the most intense-recitation of the ritual, where the operator declares:
“Therefore come ye by these names, Adonay Zebaoth, Adonay Amioram; come ye, come ye, Adonay commandeth you; Saday, the most mighty and dreadful King of Kings, whose power no creature is able to resist, be unto you most dreadful, unless ye obey, and forthwith affably appear before this Circle, let miserable ruine and fire unquenchable remain with you: therefore come ye in the name of Adonay Zebaoth, Adonay Amioram; come, come, why stay you? hasten: Adonai, Saday, the King of Kings commands you…”
The great grimoire translator, scholar and proprietor of EsotericArchives.com, Joseph H. Peterson, was the first person to point out that Amioram isn’t all it’s conjured-up to be, pointing to a Hebrew etymology, saying on page 240 of his book the Elucidation of Necromancy that:
“Amioram seems to be a shared error for “Annora” in Lucidarium and Heptameron. Annora is found in the Raziel mss. and other magic texts, rendering Hebrew הנורא (“The Terrible”). See Bohak 2003 p. 76. It is also found on the Semiphoras table. VSG reads Amora.”
A quick note to listeners: if you haven’t already, please get your own copy of Joseph H. Peterson’s Elucidation of Necromancy, which is a beautiful scholarly translation and contextualization of three versions of the original Heptameron, the Eluciadrium Necromantiae, and a freshly-translated version of the famous Heptameron grimoire itself. In addition, we all owe Joe a debt of gratitude for EsotericArchives.com, an incredible website with a wealth of free information, grimoire translations and notes, many of which are being cited in this video. Also support Joe by checking out his other books and writings, too: he is a true gem of a person and a scholar!
Okay back to this name, Amioram, which we now know is likely Annora or Ha-Nora, in Hebrew ‘The Terrible’ or ‘The Awesome’. It’s found in the Bible in Deuteronomy 10:17, which says:
“For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.”
I also thought this context was interesting, from HebrewPod101.com, which says that:
“In modern-day Hebrew, the meaning of the word נורא (nora) has lost its positive aspects and became more about the fear inducing aspects, becoming an adjective meaning "terrible" or "awful," like in these examples-- הסרט היה נורא (ha'seret haya nora) “The movie was awful.”
Okay, so we know that Amioram is Ha-Nora or Annora in the corrected grimoire conjurations. But please don’t take my word for it. I’ve asked an expert in Hebrew and Jewish esotericism, Rabbi Yosef Cohen, to share a little more esoteric and historic context around Nora. Rabbi Cohen shares about the word in audio below:
Rabbi Cohen will return to tell us about another corrected grimoire nomina magica update in a little bit, too. Please check out Rabbi Cohen’s awesome book, Magnus Liber Sigillorum , which is An abridged English translation of the Hebrew original, containing many magical alphabets and recipes culled from ancient and medieval Jewish manuscripts of magic and practical Kabbalah. and check out his appearance on the Glitch Bottle podcast here, as well! He’s fantastic.
WORD 2: Anekphoniton
Word number two that is a corrected or updated grimoire nomina magica is:
Anekphoniton, which you may see in the grimoires as Anephexeton, Anepheneton or other misspelled variations. This name has Greek origins and is seen in grimoires from the 1300s like the Sworn Book of Honorius and other manuscripts.
This name is spoken as one of the many nomina magica, or Divine names of power in a verbal conjuration of spirits. For example in the Lemegeton’s Goetia, this name (misspelled as Anephexeton) is part of a long list of Divine names used to congregate spirits:
“…and by the name Anaphexaton which Aaron heard and spake and became wise…”
Anephexeton (with the correct spelling being Anekphoniton) is also physically written on magical implements or materia magica, used in magical rituals. Two examples of this are from the Lemegeton’s Goetia: the Ring of Solomon worn by the operator and the Floor Triangle or Triangle of the Arte, which marks the location where the spirit will manifest. Both of the images of the ring and triangle are being taken from EsotericArchives.com, a great resource!
So, the name is misspelled in various ways, but the likely original name of this is Anekphoniton. But what does this name mean? On EsotericArchives, the great Joseph H. Peterson add this context to on the ring of Solomon in the Lemegeton’s Goetia grimoire, which seems to have an X written above the incorrect name Anepheneton. Peterson says:
Around the ring is written the sacred name ANEPHENETON as well as Michael (outside). Tetragrammaton is engraved on the inside. Above the first N of Anepheneton is written 'x', indicating the scribe was not certain if the name was spelled with an N or an X. I believe this to be the same as (Greek) Anekphoniton ("Unpronounceable"), sometimes used to refer to the Tetragrammaton (יהוה i.e. YHVH).
This name definitely makes sense to me, since the Tetragrammaton name of God wasn’t supposed to be pronounced, except once a year by the Jewish High Priest in the Temple on the Day of Atonement in the Holy of Holies. But, I’m so honored that the wonderful Ioannis Marathakis – scholar, translator and academic with an extensive knowledge of ceremonial magic – is here to share about the pronunciation and context of Anekphoniton:
Ioannis is also a previous guest on Glitch Bottle, sharing about the key grimoire, the Magical Treatise of Solomon, or Hygromanteia, which he translated from Greek into English, so make sure to check out Ioannis’ book!
WORD 3: Escerehie Oriston = ‘ischuros aristos’
Word number three that is a corrected or updated grimoire nomina magica is a more complex one that has multiple possibilities. In the grimoires like the Goetia and the Heptameron, you will often see this name: Escerehie Oriston.
It’s seen in grimoires like the Lemegeton’s Goetia and the Elucidarium/Heptameron, again as part of the long list of Divine names or “Vinculum” or chain of Solomon, a chain of powerful words used to conjure spirits, as in this example:
“…and by the name Escerehie Oriston, which Moses named, and all the rivers brought forth frogs, and they ascended into the houses of the Egyptians, destroying all things.”
So, do we have any idea on what Escerehie Oriston means? Well there are two likely possibilities, and one that seems to be the most likely. Possibility number one: the two words that compose Escerehie Oriston are both Greek in origin. This was first suggested in the incredible tome and a book Solomonic magicians must have, The Goetia of Dr. Rudd by the excellent Dr. Stephen Skinner and David Rankine, as being derived from two Greek words: ‘ischuros aristos’ (EES-khee-rohs AH-ree-stohs) (ischuros meaning ‘strong and aristos meaning ‘noble’ as in ‘aristocrat). Here again is scholar and translator Ioannis Marathakis with some context:
So that’s option #1, where both words in Escerehie Oriston are Greek in origin. But Ioannis just touched on a second and most likely option, option #2, which is where the first word Escerehie, is actually Hebrew in origin, a very famous Hebrew Divine name found in the Bible! Let’s dive in.
In this option, Escerehie, is actually the Hebrew name Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh (Hebrew “I Am Who I Am), אשר אהיה אהיה, a famous quote from the Book of Exodus in the Bible. Here is scholar Rabbi Yosef Cohen again to share more context about this Divine name and how it is used in a Conjuration of the Seven Jinn Kings as well!
In addition, grimoire translator and scholar Andy Foster, who has been instrumental in recent years translating passages from the Summa Sacra Magice and other texts, says that
“The name was mentioned by ancient Church Fathers. It is definitely Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh / Ehieh asher ehieh. Despite that, Oriston/oristion/ariston has Greek origins, the grimoire traditions usually mixed different names.”
Foster also suggests that the name Oriston also is similar to an ancient Greek word meaning “one who stands on a mountain.”
So, there you go: likely option #2 of this name is a combination of two words, the Hebrew Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh and the Greek Aristos.
WORD 4: Octinomos is actually Occinomos!
And finally, nomina magica number four that is a corrected or updated grimoire word used in conjurations is:
Occinomos, which you may see in the grimoires incorrectly as Octinomos, Hoccinomas, and other variations). This name also has Greek origins and is seen in grimoires from the 1300s like the Sworn Book of Honorius and also the Heptameron and the Lemegeton’s Goetia and the Theurgia Goetia.
In the Sworn Book of Honorius, the operator is to present the pentacle or sign of Solomon, and the spirits are told to obey the exorcist, at the end saying:
“…and by the Holy Seal, which commands power over you, and by the virtue of the heavenly spirits, and by the person of the exorcist who is conjuring you, hasten to come and obey your master, who is called "Occinnomos."
So, where does this name Occinomos come from, and what the heck does it mean? Well, Joseph H. Peterson mentions on EsotericArchives.com that this name is:
“…from [the] Greek oiconomos οίκονόμος meaning "stewart" or "Administrator". Found in Greek and Coptic religious and magic texts going back to antiquity. Multiple distortions occur. (Occinnomos, Occymomos, Octimomos, Hoccinomas). This is used as an epithet of God, angels, as well as other beings.”
Also, here is Ioannis Marathakis again, sharing about, and pronouncing, this name:
So what the heck does it mean to be an Occinomos, a “stewart” or an “administrator”? Administrator or what, exactly? Well, here is where things get very cool. A 2022 article from the Journal of the General Union of Arab Archeologists explores this very word! The article is entitled “The Function and Identity of the Steward <<Oikonomoc>>, A Linguistic Analytical Study of Coptic Documents, and it contains some awesome information about this role, from the 5th century to the 11th century CE.
“The functions of the steward were very extensive. He had the upper hand over the monastic administration, as he was a high financial official with all financial transactions and his authority is also asserted on the monastery treasury, in addition to his religious duties, and in several documents dated to the 7th -9th centuries. The steward almost always appears as the legal representative of the convent and in his name sings contracts, accepts donations and consecrated children to the convent.”
In addition, there are other duties that seem to me to have fingerprints of magical involvement, with the title of the occinomos, including things mentioned in the article such as:
• Providing the monastery library's needs of religious books
• One of the clergies responsible for baptism in the monastery and was most often named on the stand of water jars
• Responsible for all financial transactions of the monastery or the church, who hand to him over all the community work and demanding contacts with the world
• Archangels Gabriel and Michael bear the name in many ancient church documents
In all of this, the occinomos seems to be someone who has specific powers over contracts, books, and with connections to the angels Gabriel and Michael, which map onto the authority that the conjurations have in the grimoires.