Guides
Naming guides
Short, sourced guides to naming ceremonies, birth-star syllables and registering your baby's name.
Illustration
Namkaran: the Hindu naming ceremonyWhen Hindu families usually hold the naming ceremony, what happens at it, how the birth star and its syllable come in, and what the ceremony is called in different regions.Aqiqah and naming in Muslim familiesWhat the hadith say about naming a baby and holding the aqiqah on the seventh day, the practices that often go with it, and the guidance Indian Muslim families commonly follow.Naming in Sikh familiesHow the Naam Karan ceremony works, how the first letter of the Hukamnama guides the choice of name, and what Singh and Kaur mean.Naming in Christian families in IndiaHow baptism and saints' names shape naming in Indian churches, the older Syrian Christian customs of Kerala, the Portuguese legacy in Goa, and how practice differs between churches.Nakshatra and rashi syllables explainedHow the traditional starting syllable for a name is worked out from the baby's birth star and pada, why charts disagree, and why your own priest should have the final word.Registering your baby's name in India and abroadThe rules for registering a birth in India, how to add the name later, and what Indian families abroad should know about registering with the Indian mission and about single-name passports.