Concerning the Mark of the Beast, it's evident to lay somethings down first concerning it.
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. (2 Peter 1:20 KJV)
Nothing is private. With that said, we know that the Bible explains itself perfectly, just takes a lot of reading and searching to understand some things. So the "Mark" of the "Beast". Is it a literal mark, and does it mean beast as in an animal?
Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. (Daniel 7:23 KJV)
Simply put, a beast is a Kingdom. Easy enough. So what about this Mark? I know a lot of people believe it has to be a literal mark, but does the word of God say that? Can something else be a "mark" upon us the children of disobeiance? Can something be a seal in the foreheads of God's people that is not a "literal" mark?
And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. (Deuteronomy 6:6-8 KJV)
Obeying the commands of God in this passage is described as having a sign upon your forehead, and a sign upon your hands. Coincidence? I think not. Is there more?
Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates: That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth. For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him; Then will the Lord drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves. Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be. There shall no man be able to stand before you: for the Lord your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon, as he hath said unto you. Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known. (Deuteronomy 11:18-28 KJV)
Again, it is shown that obeying God's commandments is a sign bound upon your hand, as as the frontlets of your eyes (forehead).
And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the Lord did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt. And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the Lord's law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the Lord brought thee out of Egypt. Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year. (Exodus 13:8-10 KJV)
Everything thus far has shown, that simple obediance to the Lord, is a sign upon a hand, and your forehead.
And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the Lord brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage: And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the Lord slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem. And it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt. (Exodus 13:14-16 KJV)
I think the point is understood. Obediance to the commands and precepts of God, is a sign upon your hand, and upon your forehead.
The Seal of God, and the Mark of the Beast work in the same manner. The Seal of God upon your forehead comes only through obediance to the God of Heaven. The Mark of the Beast, is a rejection of the Seal of God. The Mark of the Beast is the obediance to the beast and it's demands. To receive the Mark of the Beast, you are willing to obey the commandments of the Beast.
So, the Mark of the Beast, is simply the obediance towards the Beast (Kingdom), that will enable you to buy or sell when the time comes. How easy will it be when the time comes?
"Do you follow the government mandate to __________"
Everyone else: "Yes" - Able to buy and sell.
Christian: "No". - Denied access to buy or sell.
The true Christian won't lie, that would be disobediance to God, rejecting the Seal, and accepting the Beast power's Mark.
Imagine going into a CVS. It's just a simple question, that can have an effect. "Do you have a CVS card" can easily be replaced with "Do you go along with the Government's mandate to __________"
And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. (Revelation 13:16-18 KJV)
The number of a man is 666 within this beast (kingdom). This is the number of his name. So the name and/or title of the Man of this beast is equivalent to 666. This number must be calculated however. So, it will not be something blatantly held out, but must be thought of, contemplated, and calculated.
As for the name:
Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him. (Exodus 23:20, 21 KJV)
The way it seems, is the character, the power, and the authority of the name. We do things in the name of Jesus, in His Power, Authority, and character.
So the name of the Beast would be their "power", or kingly authority (or trying to usurp authority over God's commands), and their character.