Tarachakra

Your baby’s name letter

Many families start a baby’s name with the syllable of the birth star’s quarter (pada). Enter the baby’s date, time and place of birth to find the nakshatra, the pada and the letter.

  • Lahiri ayanamsa, to the arcsecond
  • North or South Indian chart
  • Every village in India and Sri Lanka

Your birth details Janma

Chart style

Free. Nothing is stored: your details are used for this chart and then forgotten.

How the name letter is found

Each of the 27 nakshatras is split into four padas, and each pada has a traditional starting syllable: Ashwini’s are Chu, Che, Cho and La, for example. The baby’s letter is the one for the pada the Moon was in at birth.

The Moon crosses a pada in about six hours, so the birth time matters. Without it we show all four letters of the star, and tell you if the Moon changed stars that day.

The syllables are the common Hindi and Sanskrit list; Tamil, Telugu and other regional lists differ a little, so many families confirm with their priest at the namkaran.

Questions families ask

What is the name letter by nakshatra?

It is the traditional first syllable (nama akshara) for the pada of the birth star. Naming a child with it is an old custom at the namkaran ceremony.

Do I need the exact birth time?

Yes, for the exact letter: the Moon changes pada about every six hours. The hospital’s recorded time is enough.

When is the naming ceremony held?

Usually on the 11th or 12th day after birth. Our namkaran muhurat page lists the good days and morning hours for the year.