In the Indian/Nepali Hindu community, most of the parents choose names for their babies based on which Nakshatra their kids are born. According to Vedic astrology, choosing a name by Nakshatra / Birth Star plays a vital role in determining their personality, traits, and destiny.
Nakshatra (Hindu Birth Star), also known as a lunar mansion, is a specific star constellation in Vedic astrology. Your child’s Nakshatra is determined according to the position of the Moon at the time of your child’s birth. There are 27 Nakshatras, each linked with specific sounds, syllables, and characteristics that help guide the naming process.
Each Nakshatra has 4 to 5 starting letters also called Syllables. This is useful in selecting the name for a baby once astrologers calculate the Moon’s position or Nakshatra. Here are the Nakshatras and the corresponding starting letters associated with them:
| Nakshatra | Syllables (Starting Alphabet) |
|---|---|
| Ashwini | Chu, Che, Cho, La |
| Bharani | Lee, Lu, Le, Lo |
| Krittika | A, Ee, U, E |
| Rohini | O, Va, Vi, Vu |
| Mrigashira | Ve, Vo, Ka, Ke |
| Ardra | Ku, Gha, Na, 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, Re |
| Swati | Ru, Re, Ro, Ta |
| Vishakha | Ti, Te, Tu, To |
| Anuradha | Na, Ni, Nu, Ne |
| Jyeshtha | No, Ya, Yi, Yu |
| Mula / Moola | Ye, Yo, Ba, Bi |
| Purva Ashadha | Bu, Dha, Bha, Pha |
| 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, Na |
| Revati | De, Do, Cha, Chi |
If you’re one of the Hindu parents who believe in Nakshatra Based Naming then you’re in the right place. Here is the step by step guide for parents to choose a name by Nakshatra and the syllables. This post also guides you to find a perfect name based on Nakshatra by using online tools.
Let’s Dive In.
Step-by-Step Guide: Find Baby Names by Nakshatra / Birth Star
According to Hindu Vedic Astrology, there’re several steps you should go with while choosing names by Nakshatra or Birth Star. It includes steps like identifying baby’s Nakshatra, finding the starting alphabet, explore the names that carry positive meaning and tips for picking one of the best name from the entire list.
Step1: Identify Baby’s Nakshatra (Birth Star)
In Vedic Astrology, Nakshatra is one of the most important element that helps in deciding the first letter of baby’s name which also helps in predicting personality traits, characteristics and career fields. To find out or calculate the Baby’s Nakshatra, you need to have following essential details of your baby:
- Date of Birth (DOB) – The exact calendar date when the baby was born.
- Exact Time of Birth – Even a few minutes can change the Moon’s position, so precision is important.
- Place of Birth – The geographical location (city/village, latitude & longitude) helps in accurate planetary calculations.
With the help of these 3 details, astrologer construct the birth chart (Janma Kundali) of your baby and also determine the exact position of Moon at the time your baby was born. Once Moon’s position is determined, astrologer calculate the Nakshatra (birth star) of your baby.
How Nakshatra is Calculated by an Astrologer?
The astrologer checks which sign (Rashi) and at what degree the Moon is placed at the time of birth. The Moon travels around the zodiac in about 27.3 days so the entire zodiac is divided into 27 equal segments where each segment covers 13°20’ (13 degrees 20 minutes).
These 27 segments are called Nakshatras. Finally, astrologer pinpoints the baby’s Nakshatra by locating Moon’s exact degree in the zodiac.
If you don’t have a professional astrologer, then you can use this Nakshatra calculator tool to identify the exact Nakshatra (Birth Star) of your newborn baby.
Step2: Identify Starting Letter / Syllables
Next astrologer divides the each Nakshatra into four smaller divisions called Padas or Charanas. Each Pada covers 3 degrees and 20 minutes (3°20′) length. The Pada determines the first syllable/letter for naming the child.
Example: If the Moon is at 10° in Leo Zodiac (Simha Rashi), the child’s birth Nakshatra may be Magha Nakshatra, Pada 1. The starting letter or syllable for Magha Nakshatra Pada 1 is “Ma“.
| Nakshatra | Pada 1 | Pada 2 | Pada 3 | Pada 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashwini | Chu | Che | Cho | La |
| Bharani | Lee | Lu | Le | Lo |
| Krittika | A | Ee | U | E |
| Rohini | O | Va | Vi | Vu |
| Mrigashira | Ve | Vo | Ka | Ke |
| Ardra | Ku | Gha | Na | 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 | Re |
| Swati | Ru | Re | Ro | Ta |
| Vishakha | Ti | Te | Tu | To |
| Anuradha | Na | Ni | Nu | Ne |
| Jyeshtha | No | Ya | Yi | Yu |
| Mula / Moola | Ye | Yo | Ba | Bi |
| Purva Ashadha | Bu | Dha | Bha | Pha |
| 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 | Na |
| Revati | De | Do | Cha | Chi |
Step3: Explore the Names that Carry Positive Meaning
Once you find out the Nakshatra and relevant Pada, its time to explore the names list and find out a perfect name for your baby. To explore the names based on Nakshatra, you can try our #No.1 tool: Nakshatra Based Hindu Baby Name Generator.
This tool makes your name finding journey easier since we’ve added options to filter out names by Gender, Nakshatra, and Syllables (Pada). You can also filter Hindu names based on Name Type either Traditional names derived from Sanskrit or Unique Modern names.
Once you select gender of your baby, select the Nakshatra and relevant Pada or Starting alphabet, select the name type (Traditional or Modern) and click on “Generate Names” button, it will redirect you to a page that have a baby names list based on the selected gender, nakshatra, alphabet and name type.
Another benefit of using this nakshatra based name generator tool is it provides you name list along with meaning of each name. These names carry positive, auspicious, or uplifting meanings such as:
- Spiritual: Names of Gods/Goddesses, holy places, or mantras.
- Virtues: Peace, Strength, Knowledge, Prosperity.
- Nature: Sun, Moon, Stars, Flowers, Rivers.
FINAL: Tips for Choosing a Perfect Baby Name
As a Hindu parent you should consider following points while selecting a name that has ability to balance spirituality with modernity:
- Names that are easy to pronounce and pleasant in sound.
- Select a name that carry positive vibrations in both traditional (Sanskrit/Hindu) and modern contexts.
- Go for names that symbolize good qualities, prosperity, wisdom, strength, or devotion.
A child’s name should invoke positivity, grace, and blessings whenever pronounced. It should sound good in daily use, in school, and in professional life later. So avoid choosing names with inauspicious meanings, negative connotations, complex spellings, or very heavy sounds.
Always practice the full name softly 11 times before finalizing. If it feels harmonious and sounds pleasant & flows well then it’s the perfect name for your child.
Anil Pun
Anil Pun is the founder of MinimalAura, a trusted platform dedicated to helping parents find the perfect name for their newborns. With deep expertise in Hindu astrology and Nakshatra-based naming, I've combined traditional wisdom with modern naming trends to guide parents in choosing meaningful, auspicious names.
Thank you for sharing such a beautiful guide. Really your guide helped me to choose a name for my baby boy born in Ashwini Nakshatra. I have also used the tool you shared in this blog post which is totally awesome!