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Tool · Name syllables

Name syllables by nakshatra

The avakahada chakra gives a syllable to each nakshatra pada. Choose a nakshatra and pada, or enter birth details, to see the syllable the texts give.

By nakshatra and pada

If you know the birth nakshatra and pada, choose them here.

Name syllable

Dhanishta, pada 1

गा

IAST: gā

In the avakahada chakra, pada 1 of Dhanishta has the syllable “गा” (gā). This pada lies in Makara.

  1. Pada 1गाgā
  2. Pada 2गीgī
  3. Pada 3गूgū
  4. Pada 4गेge

This is a naming convention given in the texts and almanacs: a name begins with the syllable of the nakshatra pada the Moon was in at birth. It says nothing about what a name will bring.

From birth details

The Moon’s nakshatra pada at birth is worked out and its syllable shown. The details are sent only for this calculation and are not stored.

Suggestions appear as you type; use the up and down arrows and press Enter to choose.

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The full avakahada chakra

The 27 nakshatras, the four padas of each, and the rasi of each pada.

See also: Nakshatra · Pada · Find your nakshatra · All tools

Understand

What the avakahada chakra is

The avakahada chakra is a table printed in almanacs and jataka texts that gives a syllable to each of the 108 padas of the 27 nakshatras. It is named for its opening syllables (a, va, ka, ha, ḍa). The same table also gives the rasi, varna, yoni, gana and nadi of each birth nakshatra.

How it is used in naming

The grihya sutras describe the namakarana samskara, and the later texts and almanacs hold that a child’s name may begin with the syllable of the nakshatra pada the Moon was in at birth. Many families keep this as a “nakshatra name” alongside the name used every day. It is a convention; names are chosen on many other grounds too.

Nakshatra and pada

The zodiac is divided into 27 nakshatras of 13°20′ each, and each nakshatra into four padas of 3°20′. Nine padas make one rasi. The birth pada comes from the Moon’s sidereal position; to see that calculation with its working, open the “Find your nakshatra” tool.

Variants of the table

Some almanacs differ on short and long vowels (चु or चू), and almanacs that count Abhijit as a 28th nakshatra give जू जे जो खा (ju je jo kha) to the last pada of Uttara Ashadha and the opening of Shravana. This page uses the common North Indian table of 27 nakshatras.

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