So, I was looking at the spoilers for the upcoming Theros:Beyond Death and found an odd wording in the card text. The card says "choose a card name" and not "name a card name". Is this meant so that you do not have to inform your opponent, but can merely write it down and not show them?
While there are things that say "name", such as Meddling Mage, this seems to be more of a templating, or editing, choice rather than anything about how the choice is made. And, a few cards are older and it seems that the "choose" wording is most commonly used now.
So, no, this does not mean you get to make the choice in secret. Whatever name you choose will be known to all players as the choice is made publicly. Only if the effect says to "secretly choose a card name" (such as the effect of Hidden Agenda on things like Brago’s Favor) can you make the choice in secret.
While there are things that say "name", such as Meddling Mage, this seems to be more of a templating, or editing, choice rather than anything about how the choice is made. And, a few cards are older and it seems that the "choose" wording is most commonly used now.
Even Meddling Mage had its Oracle text changed from "name a nonland card" to "choose a nonland card name" (C.R. 108.1). Since Amonkhet, cards no longer speak of "naming a card".
EDIT: Correction in Meddling Mage's Oracle and former text after comment 5 was posted.
Ah, true. I was going off of the card link for Meddling Mage on this site expecting it to be correct (it does say "Oracle Text" after all). I have gotten bitten by that in the past so I need to remember that the Oracle Text when clicking on card links here are not always correct for whatever reason.
https://www.magicspoiler.com/mtg-spoiler/medomais-prophecy/
Sorcerous Spyglass
Alhammarret, High Arbiter
Alpine Moon
etc.
While there are things that say "name", such as Meddling Mage, this seems to be more of a templating, or editing, choice rather than anything about how the choice is made. And, a few cards are older and it seems that the "choose" wording is most commonly used now.
So, no, this does not mean you get to make the choice in secret. Whatever name you choose will be known to all players as the choice is made publicly. Only if the effect says to "secretly choose a card name" (such as the effect of Hidden Agenda on things like Brago’s Favor) can you make the choice in secret.
EDIT: Correction in Meddling Mage's Oracle and former text after comment 5 was posted.