Basics
Hindu Baby Names by Nakshatra Pada: How the First Letter Is Chosen (and Naam Rashi vs Janam Rashi)
By NamaJyoti editorial · Monday, 9 November 2026 · 3 min read
In short
In the Hindu tradition a child's first name starts with the syllable (naamakshar) belonging to the nakshatra pada the Moon was in at birth. Each of the 27 nakshatras has four padas, each with its own sound — so there are 108 syllables, and each rashi owns nine of them. The rashi found from the name is the naam rashi; the Moon sign at birth is the janam rashi, and the two often match when the name was chosen this way.
How the naming letters work
- From the exact birth time and place, work out where the Moon was — its nakshatra and pada (see how).
- Each pada has one syllable. For example, Ashwini's four padas carry Chu, Che, Cho, La.
- The family picks a name beginning with that syllable.
- Nine padas make one rashi, so the syllable also tells you the rashi the name belongs to.
Syllables for each rashi
| Rashi | Naming syllables |
|---|---|
| Mesh (Aries) | Chu, Che, Cho, La, Li, Lu, Le, Lo, A |
| Vrishabh (Taurus) | I, U, E, O, Va, Vi, Vu, Ve, Vo |
| Mithun (Gemini) | Ka, Ki, Ku, Gha, Nga, Chha, Ke, Ko, Ha |
| Kark (Cancer) | Hi, Hu, He, Ho, Da, Di, Du, De, Do |
| Singh (Leo) | Ma, Mi, Mu, Me, Mo, Ta, Ti, Tu, Te |
| Kanya (Virgo) | To, Pa, Pi, Pu, Sha, Na, Tha, Pe, Po |
| Tula (Libra) | Ra, Ri, Ru, Re, Ro, Ta, Ti, Tu, Te |
| Vrishchik (Scorpio) | To, Na, Ni, Nu, Ne, No, Ya, Yi, Yu |
| Dhanu (Sagittarius) | Ye, Yo, Bha, Bhi, Bhu, Dha, Pha, Bhe |
| Makar (Capricorn) | Bho, Ja, Ji, Khi, Khu, Khe, Kho, Ga, Gi |
| Kumbh (Aquarius) | Gu, Ge, Go, Sa, Si, Su, Se, So, Da |
| Meen (Pisces) | Di, Du, Tha, Jha, Yna, De, Do, Cha, Chi |
The traditional table of 108 padas, grouped by rashi. A few sounds (such as Ta, Ti, Tu, Te, To, Na and Da) appear in two nakshatras, so they can belong to two rashis.
All 108 syllables, by nakshatra
| Nakshatra | Pada 1 | Pada 2 | Pada 3 | Pada 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashwini | Chu | Che | Cho | La |
| Bharani | Li | Lu | Le | Lo |
| Krittika | A | I | U | E |
| Rohini | O | Va | Vi | Vu |
| Mrigashira | Ve | Vo | Ka | Ki |
| Ardra | Ku | Gha | Nga | Chha |
| Punarvasu | Ke | Ko | Ha | Hi |
| Pushya | Hu | He | Ho | Da |
| Ashlesha | Di | Du | De | Do |
| Magha | Ma | Mi | Mu | Me |
| Purva Phalguni | Mo | Ta | Ti | Tu |
| Uttara Phalguni | Te | To | Pa | Pi |
| Hasta | Pu | Sha | Na | Tha |
| Chitra | Pe | Po | Ra | Ri |
| Swati | Ru | Re | Ro | Ta |
| Vishakha | Ti | Tu | Te | To |
| Anuradha | Na | Ni | Nu | Ne |
| Jyeshtha | No | Ya | Yi | Yu |
| Mula | Ye | Yo | Bha | Bhi |
| Purva Ashadha | Bhu | Dha | Pha | Dha |
| Uttara Ashadha | Bhe | Bho | Ja | Ji |
| Shravana | Khi | Khu | Khe | Kho |
| Dhanishta | Ga | Gi | Gu | Ge |
| Shatabhisha | Go | Sa | Si | Su |
| Purva Bhadrapada | Se | So | Da | Di |
| Uttara Bhadrapada | Du | Tha | Jha | Yna |
| Revati | De | Do | Cha | Chi |
Find your birth nakshatra and pada, and the matching sound is the traditional first letter.
Naam rashi and janam rashi
The janam rashi is the Moon sign at birth — the one used for kundli, dasha and rashifal. The naam rashi is the sign a name's first sound belongs to. If the name was chosen from the birth pada, the two are the same. If the name was chosen for another reason — a grandparent's name, a trending name — they can differ, and the janam rashi is the one that counts for reading a chart.
Practical tips
- Use the birth time, not just the date. The Moon changes pada every ~6 hours.
- If your pandit gives you several syllables, choose by meaning and ease of pronunciation — the letter is a starting point, not a test.
- Naamkaran is traditionally held around the 11th or 12th day after birth; see the naamkaran dates for gentle days.
- A name does not alter the birth chart; it is a custom that connects the child to the nakshatra.
Want to see which rashi a name falls in? Try the Rashi by Name tool — it also gives the name number from numerology.
This is a reading for your sign. Get it for your own birth chart.
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Questions
- How is a Hindu baby name's first letter chosen?
- From the syllable assigned to the nakshatra pada the Moon was in at birth.
- What is the difference between naam rashi and janam rashi?
- Naam rashi comes from the first sound of the name; janam rashi is the Moon sign at birth, used for charts and rashifal.
- Do I need the exact birth time for naming letters?
- Yes — the Moon changes pada about every six hours, so the time decides the syllable.
Keep reading
Astrology is guidance, not medical, legal or financial advice. Dates and tables in this article are calculated from the sky — see how we calculate.