Namakarana

The naming ceremony of a child is given immense importance in the Hindu society. Called Namakarana ceremony, it is usually performed on the 10th, 11th or 12th day after the child’s birth. In case these days are found inauspicious, some other dates are chosen.

Prior to the ceremony, the house is given a proper wash and purified with some rites. The child and the mother are given a ceremonial bath. The child, covered with clean cloth, is held by the father during the ceremony. Symbolic offerings are made to various deities and a proper name is chosen as per the prescribed convention. This name is uttered by the parents in the child’s ear three times. The child is blessed by the elders and the brahmins present and they call the child by the new name.

The ancient Hindu scriptures prescribe a set of conventions for naming a child. In case of male child, the name should consist of either 2 syllables or 4 syllables, beginning with a consonant and semi-vowel. The name should end with a long vowel. A 2 syllable name is believed to bring prosperity to the child, while a 4 syllable name assures in religious fame. As opposed to the boys, the girl child should contain uneven number of syllables, with 3 being the optimum number. The name should end with the phonetic element of ‘aa’ or ‘ee’. This name should be easy to pronounce, pleasant for the ears, contain a clear meaning and should end with a long vowel.

The name of a child may be derived from the star constellation of its birth, the deity associated with the Hindu month in which it was born or the family deity. Apart from the tradition, the child’s name may be chosen depending on a popular choice in the household, which is the norm in today’s society.

The Hindu scriptures also prescribe a set of inauspicious names belonging to constellations, tree, plants and rivers, which should be avoided. Some names which may seem to belong to a servant or other similar lower status person and the names that may sound fearful are also not recommended.