Dhanishta is the twenty-third of the 27 nakshatras, the lunar mansions of Vedic astrology. It spans 23° 20′ Capricorn to 6° 40′ Aquarius, is ruled by Mars and is presided over by the eight Vasus. Its symbol is the damaru, a small drum, and the name is often taken to mean “the wealthiest” or “the drummer”.
The Avakahada chakra, a chart in the Hindu naming tradition, picks the first sound of the baby’s name from the quarter of the star the Moon occupied at birth. Dhanishta has four padas, with the syllables Ga, Gi, Gu and Ge. The free nakshatra calculator gives the pada and syllable from the birth date, time and place, should you not know them yet.
The four syllables of Dhanishta
| Pada | Syllable | Devanagari | Moon sign | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ga | गा | Makara (Capricorn) | 23° 20′ to 26° 40′ Capricorn |
| 2 | Gi | गी | Makara (Capricorn) | 26° 40′ to 30° 00′ Capricorn |
| 3 | Gu | गू | Kumbha (Aquarius) | 0° 00′ to 3° 20′ Aquarius |
| 4 | Ge | गे | Kumbha (Aquarius) | 3° 20′ to 6° 40′ Aquarius |
Note: The first two padas lie in Capricorn and the last two in Aquarius, so babies born under Dhanishta can have either Moon sign. Pada 4, Ge, has no common names.
Boy names
Names starting with Ga (गा)
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ganesh | lord of the ganas, the elephant-headed god |
| Gagan | sky |
| Gajanan | elephant-faced, a name of Ganesha |
| Ganapati | lord of the ganas, a name of Ganesha |
| Gajendra | king of elephants |
| Gangadhar | bearer of the Ganga, a name of Shiva |
| Gagandeep | lamp of the sky |
Names starting with Gi (गी)
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Girish | lord of the mountain, a name of Shiva |
| Giridhar | bearer of the mountain, a name of Krishna |
| Giriraj | king of mountains |
| Girindra | lord of mountains |
Names starting with Gu (गू)
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Gunjan | hum, the buzzing of bees |
| Gurudev | divine teacher |
| Gunwant | virtuous |
| Gurpreet | love for the guru, a Punjabi name |
| Gurdeep | lamp of the guru, a Punjabi name |
| Gurmeet | friend of the guru, a Punjabi name |
Names starting with Ge (गे)
Ge is a rare sound at the start of a name. No established boys’ names are listed. Families usually choose the nearest sound, Ga or Gi.
Girl names
Names starting with Ga (गा)
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ganga | the river Ganga |
| Gayatri | a sacred Vedic metre and mantra |
| Gargi | name of a learned woman sage |
| Gandhari | queen of the Mahabharata |
| Gajalakshmi | a form of Lakshmi |
| Garima | dignity, greatness |
| Gatha | verse, story |
Names starting with Gi (गी)
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Gita | song, the Bhagavad Gita |
| Gitanjali | offering of songs |
| Girija | born of the mountain, a name of Parvati |
| Gitika | little song |
Names starting with Gu (गू)
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Gunjan | hum, the buzzing of bees |
| Gurleen | absorbed in the guru, a Punjabi name |
| Gurpreet | love for the guru, a Punjabi name |
| Gunavati | virtuous |
Names starting with Ge (गे)
No established girls’ names beginning with Ge are listed. Families usually choose the nearest sound, Ga or Gi.
Choosing the name
Begin with your family’s own practice. Some families keep strictly to the first-letter chart, some use the rashi letter (padas 1 and 2 lie in Makara and padas 3 and 4 in Kumbha, each sign having its own letter chart), and many pick a name for its meaning. All are equally respectable.
Ga and Gi give long lists of names tied to Ganesha, Shiva and Krishna, and Gu is shared by a good number of Punjabi names beginning with Gur, meaning the guru. Ge has none worth recommending, so pada 4 families commonly choose Ga or Gi and are comfortable doing so.
If your family follows the strict letter rule, check how the letter is spelled in Devanagari. Names that begin with Go, such as Gopal and Govind, belong to Shatabhisha rather than Dhanishta, so they do not fit the Ga list above.
For families abroad, think about the English reading. Gunjan, Girish and Gagan are easy to read. Gajanan and Gangadhar are long, and Gayatri is often spelled Gayathri, so choose one spelling and use it consistently. A name with a clear meaning, such as Garima for dignity or Gita for song, tends to carry well across countries.
About Dhanishta
Dhanishta is a nakshatra of rhythm, abundance and the group. Its symbol is the damaru, a small drum that keeps time, and its deity is the group of eight Vasus, the elemental gods of the natural world. The ruler is Mars. People with a Dhanishta Moon are traditionally described as energetic, musical in the broad sense and good at working with others, with a drive to build and to be noticed. These are tendencies for reflection, not predictions for any particular baby. Read more in Moon in Dhanishtha nakshatra, where the star is spelled with an extra h.
Browse the previous star, Shravana nakshatra names, then Shatabhisha nakshatra names, or return to all nakshatra baby names. For a look at how the Moon’s sign shapes a chart, read about the Moon signs.
Frequently asked questions
↳ What are the letters for Dhanishta nakshatra?
The four syllables of Dhanishta are Ga, Gi, Gu and Ge, one for each pada. Which of Ga, Gi, Gu or Ge applies depends on the pada of Dhanishta the Moon occupied at birth.
↳ Which letter for Dhanishta nakshatra pada 1?
Pada 1 of Dhanishta gives the syllable Ga (गा), so the name begins with Ga, as in Ganesh, Gagan or Gayatri. The Moon is in Makara (Capricorn) from 23° 20′ to 26° 40′ for this pada.
↳ Is Dhanishta the same as Dhanishtha or Shravishtha?
Yes. Dhanishta, Dhanishtha and the older name Shravishtha all refer to the twenty-third nakshatra. This site uses Dhanishta on the baby names pages.
↳ Can I choose a name outside these letters?
Yes. The first-letter rule is a tradition, not a requirement. If no name on the Dhanishta lists feels right, choose by meaning or custom; that is a long-standing practice.