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Kishan Patel
Mrs. Raymond
UWRT 1102
21 January 2014
Indian Naming System
The Indian subcontinent is divided into regions; each region consists of its own culture
and naming system. Naming a baby in India can be done traditionally or in a more modern
perspective. Ultimately the family decides whether or not to name his/her child through the
Namakaran procedure or by modern ways.
A commonly used system of Naming in Indian culture is the Namakaran Ceremony. It is
considered to be a highly auspicious occasion and the reason being is that, a bond is created
between the newly born child and the parents. Typically the ritual is performed twelve days after
birth, but in western Gujarat, where I am from, it is performed on the sixth day. The mother is
honored to bring the newly born child into the new world and on top of that relatives and friends
are there to share their blessings. Blessings are said to ensure the child grows up like his/her
forefathers. The baby might not understand what is occurring during the ceremony, but the
parents gain insight on the responsibilities of raising their child. The Namakaran puja is full of
laughter, food and above all family members gathered around the newly born creating memories.
Moving things along to the actual ritual itself. The puja can be executed either at home or the
temple; it is commonly done a home only because parents like to welcome their child into his/her
new home. A priest is there to provide prayers to all the gods, telling them to protect the child
throughout his/her life. The baby is now placed in the fathers lap and the chosen Hindu name is

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whispered into the childs ear using a traditional betel leaf. After the ceremony is over, relatives
and friends bless the child one last time.
The Hindu name itself is created by the parents through a Rashi system. Baby names are
created based on astrological requirements; parents believe their child should be named
according to correct season and Rashi. Rashi is a character derived from the astrological lunar
calendar. Parents must first find the correct Rashi the child was born into, which can be
determined by zodiac sign. After the Rashi is determined parents must select from a set of
syllables that are associated with the Rashi. That syllable must be correctly incorporated in the
final baby name. The Rashi naming system is a very traditional method parents use in India to
name their child; however not every family finds the perfect name associated with the correct
Rashi. A modern approach to naming would be to select a unique Indian name that is never been
heard of in Indian society.
The traditional method of naming an Indian child is a very intricate and elaborative
process that involves the Rashi system followed by the Namakaran ceremony. Modern methods
to naming can be as simple as selecting a unique Indian sounding name. At the end, the child is
presented with a name that best represents his/her future.

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Works Cited
"Namakaran - The Baby Naming Ceremony." India Child Names. India Child Names, n.d. Web.
20 Jan. 2015.
"The 12 RashisAstrological Signs." Maharishi Vedic Astrology. Maharishi Vedic Foundation,
n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2015.