Type a name above to find its naam rashi, the rashi that its first sound belongs to. The calculator reads the first syllable of the name and matches it against the classical naming syllables, four for each of the 27 nakshatras, giving the nakshatra, the pada and the rashi.
How the name is read
Each nakshatra pada has its own naming syllable, a table known as the avakahada chakra: Chu, Che, Cho and La for the four padas of Ashwini, Li, Lu, Le and Lo for Bharani, and so on through the 108 padas of the zodiac. The calculator takes the first consonant of the name with the vowel it carries, so Priya (प्रिया) is read as Pi, the fourth pada of Uttara Phalguni, which lies in Kanya (Virgo). A name that begins with a vowel is read by that vowel: Arjun begins with A, the first pada of Krittika, in Mesha (Aries).
Hindi and Gujarati script give an exact answer, because they tell apart the sounds that English letters merge. T in English can be त or ट, D can be द or ड, and N can be न or ण, and these sit in different rashis. Tanvi, written तन्वी, begins with ता, the fourth pada of Swati, in Tula (Libra); a name beginning with टा would fall in Simha (Leo). When an English spelling could be read more than one way, the calculator shows each reading and asks you to type the name in Hindi or Gujarati for a single answer.
The first-letter chart used in Gujarat
Many families in Gujarat use a simpler chart that gives each rashi a handful of first letters: A, L and I for Mesha, B, V and U for Vrishabha, and so on. It mostly agrees with the nakshatra syllables but not always, so the calculator gives the classical answer first and says so when the first-letter chart would put the name elsewhere.
Naam rashi and birth rashi are different
The naam rashi comes from the name. The birth rashi, or janma rashi, is the sign the Moon was in when you were born, and it is the one a chart reading, Sade Sati and marriage matching use. For most people the two are different. Traditionally the naam rashi is used for choosing a name that suits a child’s birth nakshatra, and for matching when the birth details are not known. To find your birth rashi, use the Moon sign calculator.
Frequently asked questions
↳ How do I find my rashi by name?
Take the first syllable of the name and find it in the nakshatra syllable table: each nakshatra pada has one syllable, and each pada lies in a rashi. The calculator above does this for any name in English, Hindi or Gujarati script.
↳ Why does the calculator give two rashis for my name?
Because English letters cannot tell some Indian sounds apart. T can stand for त or ट, D for द or ड, and N for न or ण, and each belongs to a different syllable. Type the name in Hindi or Gujarati script and the calculator gives one answer.
↳ Is the rashi from my name the same as my birth rashi?
Usually not. The birth rashi is the Moon's sign at the moment of birth and is the one used for a chart reading. The naam rashi is taken from the name alone.
↳ Which letters are for which rashi?
By the classical syllables: Mesha has Chu, Che, Cho, La, Li, Lu, Le, Lo and A; Vrishabha I, U, E, O, Va, Vi, Vu, Ve and Vo; and so on through the twelve signs. The calculator above holds the full table, with the nakshatra and pada for each syllable.
For your full birth chart, with the Moon sign, nakshatra and dashas, use the free kundali tool.