Hastham nakshatra baby names: starting letters

By tradition, a baby born in Hastham nakshatra takes a name beginning with: pada 1 "pu" (பு), pada 2 "ṣa" (ஷ), pada 3 "ṇa" (ண), pada 4 "ṭha" (ட).

Hastham: pada and letter

Pada	Tamil letter	Sound	Rasi
1	பு	pu (पु)	Kanni
2	ஷ	ṣa (ष)	Kanni
3	ண	ṇa (ण)	Kanni
4	ட	ṭha (ठ)	Kanni

All four padas of Hastham fall in Kanni rasi.

For the 4th pada most texts give ṭha (ठ); the Yajnavalkya Smriti edition gives ḍha (ढ). Both are written ட in Tamil.

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 "pu" (பு)

Pugazhendhiboy · one who carries renown; after the poet of the Nala Venba
Bhuvanagirl · the world
Pushpagirl · flower
Punithagirl · pure one
Bhuvaneswarigirl · queen of the worlds, the Goddess
Pugazhgirl or boy · renown

Pada 2: names beginning with "ṣa" (ஷ)

Shanmugamboy · six-faced Murugan
Shanmugapriyagirl · dear to Murugan; also a raga

Pada 3: names beginning with "ṇa" (ண)

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

Pada 4: names beginning with "ṭha" (ட)

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

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 Hastham nakshatra baby's name?

By tradition, a baby born in Hastham 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 "pu" (பு), pada 2 "ṣa" (ஷ), pada 3 "ṇa" (ண), pada 4 "ṭha" (ட).

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.