Secret names are a core element in ancient magic, their knowledge granted the magician the power to invoke higher powers and to adopt their powers. The earliest known attestation of this believe in secret names is an Egyptian papyrus with the tale of Isis and Ra: Papyrus Turin 1993, dated to New Kingdom, Dynasty 20 (ca. 1190-1077 BC).
The Tale of Isis and the Name of Ra
The goddess Isis wants to know the secret name of the sun-god Ra. In order to do so she creates a clay snake with the spittle of the god that dripped to earth. The snake bites Ra and poisones him and Isis is the only one capable of healing him. But she will do so only if Ra reveals his secret name to her. Ra finally agrees on the condition that she will not reveal his secret name to anyone except her son Horus.
This tale played an important role in ancient Egyptian conceptions of magical-medical healing.
“Considering the cyclical nature of time, if something happened in the past the same is expected to happen again. Therefore, a prior event at the time of the myth – such as the Tale of Isis and Re – represented a key to men’s healing. By identifying the patient with the sick deity, the physician could be associated with the divine healer and recreate the healing power of the magic words for the patient.”
Source: https://collezionepapiri.museoegizio.it/en-GB/document/185/?description=Papyrus+Turin+1993
Photo: Bronze aegis of Isis, Egypt, Late Period, British Museum EA60857 © The Trustees of the British Museum