Baby Name Letters by Rashi and Nakshatra (with Example Names)
In many Indian families, a baby's name is chosen by its first letter (akshar), based on the baby's nakshatra and rashi at birth. This tradition is followed at the naamkaran ceremony. In this guide you will find the name letters for all 12 rashis and 27 nakshatras, with example names and simple steps to use them.
Step-by-Step: Find the Right Name Letter
- Note the baby's date, time and place of birth.
- Find the nakshatra and pada using our free Nakshatra Finder. It shows the exact name letter.
- Choose a name that starts with that letter.
- If you like none of the names, many families use any letter of the same rashi instead.
Enter the birth date and time to get the nakshatra, pada and starting letter.
Open Nakshatra Finder →
Name Letters by Rashi (with Example Names)
| Rashi | Name Letters | Example Names |
|---|---|---|
| Mesh (Aries) | Chu, Che, Cho, La, Li, Lu, Le, Lo, A | Arjun, Ananya, Lakshya, Lavanya, Chetan |
| Vrishabh (Taurus) | I, U, E, O, Va, Vi, Vu, Ve, Vo | Ishaan, Urvi, Om, Vihaan, Vedika |
| Mithun (Gemini) | Ka, Ki, Ku, Gha, Chha, Ke, Ko, Ha | Kabir, Kiara, Kunal, Harsh, Ketan |
| Kark (Cancer) | Hi, Hu, He, Ho, Da, Di, Du, De, Do (ड) | Hiten, Hemant, Hoshika, Hrithik |
| Simha (Leo) | Ma, Mi, Mu, Me, Mo, Ta, Ti, Tu, Te (ट) | Manav, Mira, Mukesh, Meera, Mohan |
| Kanya (Virgo) | To (ट), Pa, Pi, Pu, Sha, Na (ण), Tha (ठ), Pe, Po | Pari, Priya, Pushkar, Pooja, Pranav |
| Tula (Libra) | Ra, Ri, Ru, Re, Ro, Ta, Ti, Tu, Te (त) | Rahul, Riya, Rudra, Tanvi, Tushar |
| Vrishchik (Scorpio) | To (त), Na, Ni, Nu, Ne, No, Ya, Yi, Yu | Naina, Nikhil, Neha, Yash, Yuvraj |
| Dhanu (Sagittarius) | Ye, Yo, Bha, Bhi, Bhu, Dha, Pha, Bhe | Yogesh, Bharat, Bhavya, Dhruv, Dhara |
| Makar (Capricorn) | Bho, Ja, Ji, Ju, Je, Jo, Kha, Ga, Gi | Jay, Jiya, Jyoti, Garima, Girish |
| Kumbh (Aquarius) | Gu, Ge, Go, Sa, Si, Su, Se, So, Da | Gopal, Sanjay, Simran, Suresh, Daksh |
| Meen (Pisces) | Di, Du, Tha, Jha, De, Do, Cha, Chi | Deepak, Divya, Dev, Charu, Chirag |
Note: Hindi has two kinds of "T" (ट and त) and "D" (ड and द). In English both look the same, so check the Hindi spelling when a letter appears in two rashis. Example: Tarun (त) is Tula, while a name starting with ट would be Simha.
Name Letters by Nakshatra (All 27)
| 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 | Na (ङ) | Chha |
| Punarvasu | Ke | Ko | Ha | Hi |
| Pushya | Hu | He | Ho | Da (ड) |
| Ashlesha | Di | Du | De | Do (ड) |
| Magha | Ma | Mi | Mu | Me |
| Purva Phalguni | Mo | Ta (ट) | Ti | Tu |
| Uttara Phalguni | Te (ट) | To | Pa | Pi |
| Hasta | Pu | Sha | Na (ण) | Tha (ठ) |
| Chitra | Pe | Po | Ra | Ri |
| Swati | Ru | Re | Ro | Ta (त) |
| Vishakha | Ti | Tu | Te | To (त) |
| Anuradha | Na | Ni | Nu | Ne |
| Jyeshtha | No | Ya | Yi | Yu |
| Mula | Ye | Yo | Bha | Bhi |
| Purva Ashadha | Bhu | Dha (ध) | Pha | Dha (ढ) |
| Uttara Ashadha | Bhe | Bho | Ja | Ji |
| Shravana | Ju / Khi | Je / Khu | Jo / Khe | Kha / Kho |
| Dhanishta | Ga | Gi | Gu | Ge |
| Shatabhisha | Go | Sa | Si | Su |
| Purva Bhadrapada | Se | So | Da (द) | Di |
| Uttara Bhadrapada | Du | Tha (थ) | Jha | Na (ञ) |
| Revati | De | Do | Cha | Chi |
Already Have a Name? Find Its Rashi
If the name is already chosen, you can check which rashi it belongs to with our Naam Ki Rashi tool. To find the real Moon sign from birth details, use Rashi by Date of Birth.
Tips for Choosing a Baby Name
- Pick a name that is easy to say and spell in English and in your home language.
- Check the meaning of the name.
- Many parents keep a nakshatra name for rituals and a different name for daily use – both are common.
- You can also check the numerology of the full name if your family follows it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it necessary to name a baby by nakshatra?
No. It is a tradition, not a rule. Many families follow it for the ritual name and choose any name they like for daily use.
What if the birth time is not known?
Without the birth time, the nakshatra may be uncertain. In that case, families often choose any letter from the likely rashi.
Is the name letter the same for boys and girls?
Yes. The starting letter depends only on the nakshatra pada, not on gender.
Shared for general information about Indian naming traditions. Please read our Disclaimer.