The rule
By tradition the child's name begins with the syllable assigned to the pada (quarter) of the nakshatra the Moon occupied at birth. The four padas of Shatabhisha and their syllables are: pada 1 - Go (गो); pada 2 - Sa (सा); pada 3 - Si (सी); pada 4 - Su (सू). Each nakshatra spans 13°20′ and each pada 3°20′, so the pada is astronomy - but the syllable attached to it is convention carried in the jyotisha literature, not something the sky tells you.
Finding your pada
You need the birth time and place, not just the date - the Moon crosses a pada in roughly six hours, so a few hours' error moves the syllable. Use the free nakshatra calculator to get your nakshatra and pada, then read the matching list below. If the pada is genuinely unknown, any of the four lists still keeps the name within Shatabhisha.
Pada 1 - Go (गो)
4 names
Boys
- Gopal (गोपाल)Cowherd; a name of Krishna
- Govind (गोविंद)A name of Krishna
Girls
- Gopika (गोपिका)A cowherd girl of Vrindavan
- Gomti (गोमती)A sacred river
Pada 2 - Sa (सा)
6 names
Boys
- Samarth (समर्थ)Capable, powerful
- Sagar (सागर)The ocean
- Sahil (साहिल)The shore; guide
Girls
- Sanya (सान्या)Distinguished; born on Saturday
- Saumya (सौम्या)Gentle, calm
- Sanvi (सान्वी)A name of Lakshmi
Pada 3 - Si (सी)
4 names
Boys
- Siddharth (सिद्धार्थ)One who has achieved his aim; the Buddha
- Sidhant (सिद्धांत)Principle, doctrine
Girls
- Simran (सिमरन)Remembrance of the divine
- Siya (सिया)A name of Sita
Pada 4 - Su (सू)
6 names
Boys
- Suresh (सुरेश)Lord of the gods; Indra
- Sumit (सुमित)Well-measured; a good friend
- Suryansh (सूर्यांश)Part of the Sun
Girls
- Suhani (सुहानी)Pleasant, delightful
- Sunita (सुनीता)Well-conducted, of good morals
- Sumitra (सुमित्रा)A good friend; Lakshmana's mother
Find your nakshatra, free
Enter your birth details to get your Moon's nakshatra and pada - where a traditional name starts.
Frequently asked
- Which letter should a Shatabhisha nakshatra baby's name start with?
- It depends on the pada: pada 1 - Go (गो); pada 2 - Sa (सा); pada 3 - Si (सी); pada 4 - Su (सू).
- Is the naming syllable compulsory?
- It's a custom, not an obligation. Many families follow it for the formal namakaran name and use something else at home. Nothing in the practice requires the everyday name to match.
- Why do different sources give different syllables?
- For a few padas the traditions genuinely differ - व versus ब in Rohini and Mrigashira, ख versus ज in Shravana. Where that happens this page shows both readings rather than silently picking one.
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