Thiruvonam nakshatra baby names: starting letters

By tradition, a baby born in Thiruvonam nakshatra takes a name beginning with: pada 1 "khi" (கி), pada 2 "khu" (கு), pada 3 "khe" (கே), pada 4 "kho" (கோ).

Thiruvonam: pada and letter

Pada	Tamil letter	Sound	Rasi
1	கி	khi (खि)	Magaram
2	கு	khu (खु)	Magaram
3	கே	khe (खे)	Magaram
4	கோ	kho (खो)	Magaram

All four padas of Thiruvonam fall in Magaram rasi.

Both sources give Thiruvonam khi, khu, khe, kho. The 28-star list gives Abhijit, which sits between Uthiradam and Thiruvonam, its own ju, je, jo, kha, and some lists give those ju, je, jo syllables to Thiruvonam instead. Ask your family priest which your family follows.

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 "khi" (கி)

Krishnanboy · Lord Krishna
Kiruthikagirl · the Karthigai star (Pleiades)
Girijagirl · daughter of the mountain, Parvati
Giridharanboy · Krishna who held up the hill
Kirubagirl or boy · grace, compassion
Kishoreboy · youth

Pada 2: names beginning with "khu" (கு)

Kumaranboy · Murugan
Kumudhagirl · water lily
Gunasekaranboy · crown of virtues
Kuzhaligirl · one with lovely hair
Guhanboy · Murugan
Kurinjigirl · the kurinji flower

Pada 3: names beginning with "khe" (கே)

Kesavanboy · a name of Vishnu
Kedharanathanboy · Shiva of Kedarnath

Pada 4: names beginning with "kho" (கோ)

Gopalboy · protector of cows, Krishna
Gokilagirl · cuckoo
Govindhanboy · Vishnu
Kodhaigirl · a name of Andal
Gomathigirl · the Goddess Gomathi of Sankarankovil
Gokulboy · the village where Krishna grew up

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 Thiruvonam nakshatra baby's name?

By tradition, a baby born in Thiruvonam 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 "khi" (கி), pada 2 "khu" (கு), pada 3 "khe" (கே), pada 4 "kho" (கோ).

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.