Chithirai nakshatra baby names: starting letters

By tradition, a baby born in Chithirai nakshatra takes a name beginning with: pada 1 "pe" (பே), pada 2 "po" (போ), pada 3 "ra" (ர), pada 4 "ri" (ரி).

Chithirai: pada and letter

Pada	Tamil letter	Sound	Rasi
1	பே	pe (पे)	Kanni
2	போ	po (पो)	Kanni
3	ர	ra (र)	Thulam
4	ரி	ri (रि)	Thulam

Chithirai padas 1, 2 fall in Kanni rasi, padas 3, 4 in Thulam.

Source: Yajnavalkya Smriti with the Mitakshara, tr. Srisa Chandra Vidyarnava (Allahabad, 1918), pp. 38-39; Sat Kriya Sara Dipika of Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, the naming-ceremony section

Pada 1: names beginning with "pe" (பே)

Pechigirl · Pechiamman, a village guardian goddess
Premagirl · love

Pada 2: names beginning with "po" (போ)

Very few Tamil names begin with this sound. Ask your family priest whether a nearby sound will do.

Pada 3: names beginning with "ra" (ர)

Raviboy · the sun
Rameshboy · Lakshmi's consort, Vishnu
Ranjanigirl · one who delights; also a raga
Ramanigirl · lovely woman
Raguboy · Raghu, Rama's ancestor
Rathnagirl · gem

Pada 4: names beginning with "ri" (ரி)

Rishiboy · sage

These are only a few examples. The choice of name is your family's; follow what your family priest or elders advise.

Frequently asked

Which letters suit a Chithirai nakshatra baby's name?

By tradition, a baby born in Chithirai nakshatraநட்சத்திரம்: One of the 27 star groups the Moon passes through, about one a day. The one at your birth is your birth star. takes a name beginning with: pada 1 "pe" (பே), pada 2 "po" (போ), pada 3 "ra" (ர), pada 4 "ri" (ரி).

How do I know the pada?

The pada depends on the minute of birth. Give the date, time and place to this site's baby-name calculator and it gives the star, the pada and the letter. A horoscope also states the pada.

Must the name begin with the star's letter?

It is a family tradition, not a rule. Many families keep the star-letter name for ceremonies and call the child by another. The choice is the family's.