The name number is a third figure that Indian numerology reads from the letters of a name. It uses the Chaldean letter table, which gives each letter a value from 1 to 8, and the values are added and reduced to a single digit like the moolank. This page gives the table, the method and a worked example, and says how much to read into it.
The Chaldean letter table
| Value | Letters |
|---|---|
| 1 | A, I, J, Q, Y |
| 2 | B, K, R |
| 3 | C, G, L, S |
| 4 | D, M, T |
| 5 | E, H, N, X |
| 6 | U, V, W |
| 7 | O, Z |
| 8 | F, P |
No letter has the value 9. Tradition treats 9 as sacred and keeps it out of the table, though a name can still add up to 9. The Chaldean table differs from the Pythagorean table used in Western numerology, which runs from A to I as 1 to 9 and then starts again. The same name usually gives different numbers in the two systems, which is why it matters to say which one a page uses. The name Chaldean is traced by its followers to ancient Babylon, but no continuous line from antiquity to the table in use today has been shown.
How a name is calculated
Write the name in English letters, give each letter its value and add them up. If the total has two digits, add those digits until one is left. The two-digit total before the last step is called the compound number.
For Priya, P is 8, R is 2, I is 1, Y is 1 and A is 1. The sum is 13, and 1 plus 3 is 4. The name number is 4, with a compound of 13.
For Arjun, A is 1, R is 2, J is 1, U is 6 and N is 5. The sum is 15, and 1 plus 5 is 6. The name number is 6, with a compound of 15.
For a full name, add all the letters of every word. Our calculator shows the total of each word and the total of the whole name.
Which name to use
Teachers disagree about whether to use the name you were given at birth, the name you are known by, or the full name with surname. The calculator lets you try any of them and shows each. We do not suggest changing a name or its spelling because of a number. A name number is read as an interpretive layer, and the moolank and bhagyank, which come from the date, are normally given more weight.
Reading the number
The single digit takes the same planet as the birth numbers: 1 Sun, 2 Moon, 3 Jupiter, 4 Rahu, 5 Mercury, 6 Venus, 7 Ketu, 8 Saturn and 9 Mars. The page for each number, such as number 4 or number 6, describes the themes. Some books give a meaning to each compound number from 10 to 52. Those readings vary a good deal between sources, so we do not reproduce them.
Type a name into the name number calculator to see the working. The moolank and bhagyank page covers the date-based numbers, and the numerology hub links the whole section. If you came here to choose a name for a child, the baby names by nakshatra pages use a different, classical method, and the name rashi calculator finds the rashi of a name.
Frequently asked questions
↳ What is the Chaldean name number?
It is the total of the letter values in a name, using the Chaldean table, reduced to a single digit from 1 to 9.
↳ Why does no letter equal 9 in the Chaldean table?
Tradition treats 9 as sacred and does not assign it to a letter. A name can still total 9 after adding.
↳ Should I use my full name or the name I am called?
Teachers differ. You can try each in the calculator. Many use the name a person is commonly known by, while others use the birth name.
↳ Does a name need to be changed to suit a number?
We do not suggest it. A name number is a traditional interpretive reading, not a reason to change your name or its spelling.
↳ How do I treat names in Hindi or Gujarati?
The table works on English letters. Write the name in the spelling you use in English, and note that a different spelling can give a different total.