Ashlesha is the ninth of the 27 nakshatras, the lunar mansions of the Vedic zodiac. It spans 16° 40′ to 30° 00′ Cancer, its ruling planet is Mercury, and its deity is the Nagas (serpents). Ashlesha covers 13° 20′ of Cancer and splits into four padas of 3° 20′, matching the four syllables listed below.
Traditionally the baby’s first sound comes from the pada holding the Moon at birth, under a scheme called the Avakahada chakra. A baby born with the Moon in Ashlesha pada 1 takes Di, pada 2 takes Du, pada 3 takes De and pada 4 takes Do. If the pada is not known, the free nakshatra calculator works it out, and gives the syllable, from when and where the baby was born. The other 26 stars are listed on the baby names hub.
The four syllables of Ashlesha
| Pada | Syllable | Devanagari | Moon sign | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Di | डी | Karka (Cancer) | 16° 40′ to 20° 00′ Cancer |
| 2 | Du | डू | Karka (Cancer) | 20° 00′ to 23° 20′ Cancer |
| 3 | De | डे | Karka (Cancer) | 23° 20′ to 26° 40′ Cancer |
| 4 | Do | डो | Karka (Cancer) | 26° 40′ to 30° 00′ Cancer |
Note: The Ashlesha syllables are the retroflex ड (Di, Du, De, Do), not the dental द used for Revati and Purva Bhadrapada.
Boy names
Names starting with Di (डी)
The retroflex ड hardly ever begins a name, so the Di names below use the dental द, the closest sound, as many families do.
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Deepak | lamp |
| Dinesh | lord of the day, the sun |
| Dilip | an ancient king of the Raghu line |
| Digvijay | conqueror of all directions |
| Dinkar | maker of day, the sun |
| Dipesh | lord of light |
| Divyansh | a divine part |
Names starting with Du (डू)
Retroflex डू is almost unused as a first sound. The name below begins with the dental द, which families widely treat as close enough.
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Dushyant | the king who married Shakuntala |
Names starting with De (डे)
The same applies to De: the retroflex ड seldom starts a name, so these De names begin with the dental द, which many families accept.
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Dev | god, divine |
| Devendra | lord of the gods, a name of Indra |
| Devansh | a part of the divine |
| Devesh | lord of the gods |
| Devraj | king of the gods |
| Devang | of divine body |
| Devdutt | gift of God |
Names starting with Do (डो)
Names beginning with Do are almost unknown, and none are listed here. Families usually choose the nearest sound, such as Da or Du.
No widely used boy names are listed for this sound.
Girl names
Names starting with Di (डी)
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Deepa | lamp |
| Deepika | small lamp |
| Diya | lamp |
| Dipti | brilliance |
| Disha | direction |
| Divya | divine |
| Deepali | row of lamps |
| Deepshikha | lamp flame |
Names starting with Du (डू)
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Durga | the goddess who is hard to overcome |
| Durva | sacred durva grass |
| Dulari | darling, beloved |
Names starting with De (डे)
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Devi | goddess |
| Devika | little goddess |
| Devyani | daughter of the sage Shukracharya |
| Devanshi | a part of the goddess |
| Devaki | mother of Krishna |
| Devasena | Murugan’s consort |
Names starting with Do (डो)
No widely used girl names are listed for this sound.
Choosing the name
Ashlesha uses the retroflex ड for all four syllables, and almost no names begin with it. Families therefore use the dental द, the nearest sound, which gives names such as Deepak, Dev and Divya. This is a very widespread practice. Du has few names and Do almost none, while Di and De are rich. If your baby is in pada 2 or pada 4, you may like to choose the nearest sound or a name that has meaning for your family. Abroad, Dev, Diya and Disha are easy to pronounce.
Start with your family’s own custom. Some families follow the pada syllable (Di, Du, De or Do) strictly, others use the rashi first-letter chart, which our name rashi calculator lists and which for this star means the Cancer Moon sign, and many use no letter rule at all. Whatever the choice, test the name aloud with the surname, since spelling and pronunciation matter more once you live abroad. Let the meaning be one you would enjoy explaining to your child, because that matters more than the letter.
About Ashlesha
Ashlesha is the ninth nakshatra, symbolised by a coiled serpent, and its deity is the Nagas. Mercury rules it, and the tradition links it with intuition, depth, insight and a protective, perceptive nature. The whole nakshatra falls in Cancer, so every Ashlesha Moon is a Karka Moon. Our article on Moon in Ashlesha nakshatra covers all four padas.
Browse every star on the baby names hub, or move to the previous nakshatra, Pushya or next nakshatra, Magha.
Frequently asked questions
↳ What are the letters for Ashlesha nakshatra?
The four syllables for Ashlesha nakshatra are Di, Du, De and Do, one for each pada. The custom is to begin the name with the syllable of the Moon's pada in Ashlesha.
↳ Which letter for Ashlesha nakshatra pada 2?
Ashlesha pada 2 gives the syllable Du (डू). The Moon is in Karka (Cancer) for that pada, at 20° 00′ to 23° 20′ Cancer.
↳ How do I find the pada of my baby's Moon?
Enter the birth date, time and place into the free nakshatra calculator on this site to see whether the Moon was in Ashlesha. Along with the nakshatra it gives the pada, which picks one syllable out of Di, Du, De or Do. A precise time helps, since each pada of Ashlesha lasts only about six hours of the Moon's journey.
↳ Can I choose a name outside these letters?
Yes. Not every family follows the Ashlesha sounds: the rashi letter chart and family names are common alternatives. The Ashlesha syllables are a custom, not a rule, so let your family's wishes and the meaning guide you.