About Naming Ceremony
A naming ceremony is the occasion on which a baby's name is said out loud to family for the first time. Hindu families call it namkaran or namakarana and often hold it on the tenth, eleventh or twelfth day; Telugu families call it barasala, Malayali families hold peridal on the twenty-eighth day, and Sikh families take the first letter of the name from a random reading of the Guru Granth Sahib. Muslim families usually name a child on the seventh day.
Almost every community in India has a day for this, and almost none of them use the same day. The Grhya Sutras, the old Hindu manuals of household ritual, place namakarana on the tenth or twelfth day after birth, with permission to push it to the first new or full moon after day ten and, if needed, into the child's second year. Families still work off that window, then adjust it around the mother's recovery, a priest's calendar and when relatives can travel.
The name itself is often not the only one the child gets. Hindu tradition allows for several at once: one from the rashi or moon sign, one from the birth nakshatra, one from the month of birth, one after the family deity, and the everyday name the child will actually answer to. That is why a cousin may be Venkata Subrahmanyam on a horoscope and Chintu at home. Older Sanskrit texts even set sound rules, preferring an even number of syllables for boys and an odd number ending in a long vowel for girls, and warning against names that can be twisted into something unkind. Families rarely follow the grammar now, but the instinct survives whenever an aunt tests a shortlisted name by shouting it across a room.
What is the naming ceremony called in different communities?
The naming ceremony has a different name and a different day in almost every community in India: chhathi and namkaran in the north, barasala in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, peridal in Kerala Hindu homes, Naam Karan in Sikh families, and naming with aqiqah on the seventh day in Muslim families.
| Community or region | Usual day | What it is called |
|---|---|---|
| North India (UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand) | Sixth night, then naming on day 10 to 12 | Chhathi, for Shashthi or Vidhata Mata, then namkaran |
| Andhra Pradesh and Telangana | Day 7, 11, 16 or 21, or a later month | Barasala, usually with the uyyala or cradle rite |
| Karnataka and Maharashtra | Around day 12, the day the Grhya Sutras name | Namakarana |
| Kerala Hindu families | 28th day, when the birth star returns in the Malayalam calendar | Peridal, with noolukettu for the waist thread |
| Kerala Syrian Christian families | Baptism within about eight days | Name given at baptism, often a grandparent's name |
| Sikh families | Any day soon after birth, at the gurdwara | Naam Karan, the letter taken from the Guru Granth Sahib |
| Muslim families | Seventh day | Naming along with aqiqah |
The Kerala date has a clean logic worth borrowing as small talk: twenty-eight days is roughly when the baby's birth star comes round again in the Malayalam calendar, so the child is named on the first return of the day they were born under.
What happens at a naming ceremony?
At a naming ceremony the child's name is said aloud before the family, and in Telugu and Kerala Hindu homes it is spoken three times into the baby's ear; the rites around that moment differ by community. A Telugu barasala turns on the cradle. The uyyala is decked with turmeric, kumkum and flowers, an elder from the father's side lowers the baby in, and the cradle is rocked three times while women sing. The father says the name into the baby's ear three times, and it is often written in a tray of raw rice so everyone present can see the spelling. The maternal uncle has his own moment: a gold ring dipped in milk and honey, touched to the baby's tongue. Kerala Christian families in some places kept a close cousin of that custom, a first taste of gold, honey and vayambu, and marked the 28th day by tying a black thread at the waist and bringing out gold and silver for the child.
In Kerala Hindu homes the name is spoken three times into the right ear and three times into the left, through a betel leaf rolled into a cone so the sound reaches only the baby. Kohl is put around the eyes and a black dot placed off-centre on a cheek or the forehead against the evil eye. In parts of the north the sixth night comes first: a lamp, a red pen and paper are left out for Vidhata Mata, who is believed to write the child's fortune around midnight. That gathering runs late and is mostly women.
A Sikh Naam Karan is the most transparent of all. The family brings the baby and mother to the gurdwara, karah prasad is prepared, ardas is said, and the Guru Granth Sahib is opened at random. The first letter of the shabad at the top of the left page becomes the first letter of the name. The parents may announce it on the spot or go home and think, and the sangat marks the choice with a jaikara. Singh is added for a boy and Kaur for a girl, titles given by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. In Muslim families the naming usually falls on the seventh day along with aqiqah, when the baby's head is shaved and the weight of the hair is given in silver as charity.
Gifts, money and the practical side
Cash still does most of the work, usually in a shagun envelope ending in one: 101, 251, 501, 1,001. Silver is the standard object gift, since it is given to be kept rather than used: a pair of anklets with small bells, a bowl and spoon, a rattle. Gold chains and bangles come from grandparents and the maternal side, so a friend or colleague need not compete. Clothes are safest a size or two up, because everyone gives newborn size and the baby is out of it in a month.
If you are close to the family, the gift they will remember is not on the table. Food that reheats. A share of the caterer's bill. An hour of holding the baby while the mother sleeps. Most naming ceremonies are hosted between six weeks and six months after the birth, when the household is still short of sleep.
Do
- Ask what the baby is being called day to day, and use that name in your card
- Wish the parents and the grandparents by name, since the card usually gets read out
- Check the dress code, because a gurdwara naming needs a head covering for every guest
- Send the card even if you cannot attend, and send it late rather than not at all
Avoid
- Don't guess the spelling. Indian names have several, and a card gets kept.
- Don't comment on the baby's complexion, or say the child looks like one parent more than the other
- Don't ask why they did not name the child after a grandparent, or suggest a better name
- Don't post photos of the baby before the parents have
What to write
Welcome, Aarav. The name suits him already. Congratulations to you both, and to the grandparents who have been waiting for this day.
Congratulations on the naming ceremony. Sana is a lovely name. Take the leave you need and don't think about the inbox.
Congratulations on your granddaughter's namkaran. The name you chose carries a lot of family in it, and she will grow into it.
Sorry to miss the barasala. Say Ishaan's name to him from me, and I will come later with a proper gift and no expectation of being fed.
Congratulations on Gurnoor's Naam Karan. A beautiful letter and a beautiful name. Wishing her a long and healthy life in Waheguru's grace.
Congratulations on your son's naming and aqiqah. May Ibrahim grow up in good health and be a comfort to you both.
Congratulations, both of you. The name is perfect. Love to the three of you.
Two small rules make a message land. Name the baby, and name the parents. A card that says "congratulations on the little one" reads like it could have gone to anyone, which on this particular day is the wrong effect.
If you were at the birth or the baby shower, say so in one line. If the family keeps other rites, the next two are usually annaprashan around six months and the mundan ceremony in the first three years, and a card at each is noticed. For the birth itself, a new baby message is the earlier, simpler note.
How to wish someone on Naming Ceremony
Use the baby's new name. That is the whole point of the day, and parents notice who says it first. Address the parents and the grandparents rather than the baby, since the card will be read aloud in a room full of relatives. Keep it short, offer something concrete (a night of cooking, a lift, a visit that does not need hosting), and avoid remarks on the baby's looks, weight or gender, or on which side of the family the child resembles.
Write a few lines in your own words, pick a design and share it as one link on WhatsApp, Instagram or anywhere else. They open an animated card made just for them, with no app and no sign-up.
Language tip: English, Hindi + regional language.
Frequently asked questions
On which day is a Hindu naming ceremony held?
The Grhya Sutras place namakarana on the tenth or twelfth day after birth, and many families still choose a day in that window. Telugu families hold barasala on the 7th, 11th, 16th or 21st day or a few months later, and Malayali families hold peridal on the 28th day, when the baby's birth star returns in the Malayalam calendar.
What do you write in a naming ceremony card?
Use the baby's new name, congratulate both parents by name, and add one specific line, such as that the name suits the child or that you are glad to be part of the day. Offer practical help rather than advice, and keep it to three or four sentences, because the card will be read aloud.
What is a good gift for a naming ceremony in India?
Silver is the traditional choice: anklets with small bells, a bowl and spoon, or a rattle, all given to be kept rather than used. Cash in a shagun envelope ending in one, such as 501 or 1,001, is equally normal, and clothes are most useful a size or two larger than the baby is now.
How is a name chosen in a Sikh naming ceremony?
At a gurdwara the Guru Granth Sahib is opened at random after ardas, and the first letter of the shabad at the top of the left page becomes the first letter of the child's name. The family announces the name, the congregation approves it with a jaikara, and Singh is added for a boy and Kaur for a girl.
Can a non-Hindu guest attend a namkaran?
Yes, and guests of any faith are usually welcome. Dress modestly, take your shoes off where others do, accept prasad or sweets with your right hand, and follow the family's lead on whether to sit through the puja or join only for the meal.
What should you not say at a naming ceremony?
Avoid remarks about the baby's complexion or weight, or about which parent the child resembles, and do not criticise the name or suggest a better one. Questions about the next baby, or hints that the child's gender was a disappointment, are the fastest way to spoil the day.
Last verified by the Kehdoo team on .