Purva Bhadrapada is the twenty-fifth of the 27 nakshatras, the lunar mansions of Vedic astrology. It spans 20° 00′ Aquarius to 3° 20′ Pisces, is ruled by Jupiter and is presided over by Aja Ekapada, the one-footed unborn. Its symbols are the front legs of a funeral cot and a two-faced man, and the name means “the former blessed feet”.
The Moon’s quarter at birth gives the first sound of the baby’s name in Hindu naming tradition, using the chart called the Avakahada chakra. Purva Bhadrapada has four padas, with the syllables Se, So, Da and Di. If the pada is not known yet, enter the birth details in the free nakshatra calculator to see it and its syllable.
The four syllables of Purva Bhadrapada
| Pada | Syllable | Devanagari | Moon sign | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Se | से | Kumbha (Aquarius) | 20° 00′ to 23° 20′ Aquarius |
| 2 | So | सो | Kumbha (Aquarius) | 23° 20′ to 26° 40′ Aquarius |
| 3 | Da | दा | Kumbha (Aquarius) | 26° 40′ to 30° 00′ Aquarius |
| 4 | Di | दी | Meena (Pisces) | 0° 00′ to 3° 20′ Pisces |
Note: The first three padas lie in Aquarius and the fourth in Pisces, so the Moon sign changes at the last pada. The sounds Da and Di here are the dental द, not the retroflex ड of Ashlesha, though they look the same in English.
Boy names
Names starting with Se (से)
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Setu | bridge |
| Senapati | commander of an army |
Names beginning with Se are few, and the choice is small.
Names starting with So (सो)
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Soham | I am That, a Vedantic phrase |
| Somesh | lord of the moon, a name of Shiva |
| Somnath | lord of the moon, a name of Shiva |
| Sohan | handsome, pleasing |
| Somdev | the moon god |
| Sonu | golden, a pet name often used as a name |
| Sopan | a flight of steps |
| Somashekhar | one with the moon in his hair, a name of Shiva |
Names starting with Da (दा)
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Dayanand | joy of compassion |
| Dayal | kind, merciful |
| Dattatreya | a divine teacher, the three-faced deity |
| Damodar | a name of Krishna |
| Darshan | vision, sight of the divine |
| Daksh | skilled, capable |
| Dashrath | the father of Rama |
| Darpan | mirror |
| Dayashankar | mercy of Shiva |
Names starting with Di (दी)
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Dilip | an ancestor of Rama, a king |
| Dinesh | lord of the day, the sun |
| Dinkar | maker of the day, the sun |
| Deepak | lamp |
| Digvijay | conqueror of all directions |
| Dinanath | lord of the humble |
| Divakar | maker of the day, the sun |
| Dipesh | lord of light |
| Divyansh | part of the divine |
Girl names
Names starting with Se (से)
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Sevanti | white chrysanthemum |
Names starting with So (सो)
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Sonal | golden |
| Sonali | golden |
| Sohini | charming, name of a raga |
| Sonakshi | golden-eyed |
Names starting with Da (दा)
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Damini | lightning |
| Daya | compassion |
| Dakshina | a gift to a teacher |
| Darshana | vision, sight |
| Damayanti | the wife of King Nala |
| Dakshayani | a name of Sati, daughter of Daksha |
| Dayita | beloved |
Names starting with Di (दी)
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Deepa | lamp |
| Deepika | small lamp |
| Diksha | initiation |
| Disha | direction |
| Divya | divine, radiant |
| Dipti | brightness |
| Divija | born of heaven |
| Deepali | a row of lamps |
| Diya | lamp |
Choosing the name
Family tradition comes first. Some families use the first-letter chart strictly, some use the rashi letter (padas 1 to 3 lie in Kumbha and pada 4 in Meena, each with its own chart), and many choose by meaning and are comfortable with that. All of these are fine.
For Purva Bhadrapada the lists are lopsided. Da and Di are rich and give plenty of choice, So gives a good selection tied to the moon and to Shiva, and Se has only a few names. If your baby falls in pada 1, it is perfectly normal to take the nearest sound, So or Sa, and a good number of families do exactly that.
Be careful with the retroflex and dental sounds. In Devanagari the Da of this star is the dental द, and names such as Dinesh and Deepak begin with it. Names beginning with the retroflex ड, such as the Ashlesha syllables, are different letters.
For families abroad, many of these names are easy to say. Deepa and Divya are familiar to English speakers. Deepak is also spelt Dipak, so pick one. Dattatreya is long, so decide on a short form early. Meaning matters most, and names such as Dayal for kindness or Diya for lamp carry a clear, warm meaning in any country.
About Purva Bhadrapada
Purva Bhadrapada means “the former blessed feet” and is the first of a pair with Uttara Bhadrapada. Its symbols include the front legs of a funeral cot, a two-faced man and a sword, all images of a threshold between one phase of life and the next. Its deity is Aja Ekapada, a one-footed form associated with the rising sun, and its ruler is Jupiter. People with a Purva Bhadrapada Moon are traditionally described as intense, idealistic and drawn to depth of thought, with a strong inner fire. These are tendencies for reflection and not a prediction for any child. For more, see Moon in Purva Bhadrapada nakshatra.
Browse the previous star, Shatabhisha nakshatra names, then Uttara Bhadrapada nakshatra names, or return to all nakshatra baby names. Read about the Moon signs to see how the sign of the Moon shapes a chart.
Frequently asked questions
↳ What are the letters for Purva Bhadrapada nakshatra?
The four syllables of Purva Bhadrapada are Se, So, Da and Di, one for each pada. Each of the four padas of Purva Bhadrapada has its own sound, and the Moon's pada at birth selects it.
↳ Which letter for Purva Bhadrapada nakshatra pada 3?
Pada 3 of Purva Bhadrapada gives the syllable Da (दा), so the name begins with Da, as in Dayanand, Damini or Daya. The Moon is in Kumbha (Aquarius) from 26° 40′ to 30° 00′ for this pada.
↳ Is the Da of Purva Bhadrapada the same as the Da of Pushya?
No. Purva Bhadrapada uses the dental द (Da), while Pushya uses the retroflex ड (Da). They look the same in English but are different letters in Devanagari.
↳ Can I choose a name outside these letters?
Yes. The first-letter rule is a tradition, not a requirement. Choosing by meaning or by family custom is common, and a well-loved name matters more than matching a Purva Bhadrapada syllable.