Do You Have a Hindu Name?

I've seen it question if one has a Hindu name in another thread in the DIR. I have questions.

I was raised in a Catholic household and was given a "Confirmation name" upon receiving the sacrament of Confirmation and was wondering if there was some sort of parallel.

Do you have a Hindu name?

What is the purpose of having a one?

Is there a ritual where it is received?

Is the name selected by another, or is it selected by the individual?

When is it used?

Yes I do, and the idea is somewhat controversial in some circles. Most Hindu converts and adoptives don't change their name, and the reasons vary from it not being at all necessary to it's just such a bother.

The other half-way change is to have a Hindu name when it's convenient, or when doing religious activities, but to retain the original name for work, for the passport, when dealing with non-Hindu family etc. There are many people like that. One chap at the temple I went to did that. He was known as Natarajan there, but for legal documents, addresses, and the like he retained his western name.

In the end, it's totally up to the individual.

In my case, the namakarana samskara was used when we (Boss changed her name as well, at the same time, as well as our 2 eldest children) did it back in 1980. Then we did legal change of name with the government, which also involves a few steps, including publishing it. The publishing has to do with folks who might try to avoid being captured when running from the law or from debt collectors. So there is always a record of it. Some legal documents have a section about previous names, and I still have to fill those in.

In India the program of ghar wapsi run by the Arya Samaj is about taking Hindus back who were forcibly or coerced financially into another faith, and now regret it. So they have a ceremony, and change the name back to what it was originally. I'm not sure if they would do the same for western converts wishing to change their name.

In my case, my sampradaya still does it, or guides it for individuals wishing to take the full step I did, but 95% of that is within this sampradaya. In fact, it's a requirement for membership. Still there are many folks who avail themselves to the teachings while the actual membership stays really small.

In short, if an individual wants to do it, all you would need to do is legally change your name. If you want that attached to religion, you'd have to find a willing priest, and I believe many priests would be willing, if provided with a good explanation. When all of the non-born Hindus within our sampradaya (most of the sampradaya is born Hindus so there is no need) had the ceremony I had, several did it at local temples outside of the sampradaya temples. We had it done at the main sampradaya temple.


Edited to add ... we chose the names ourselves, and we use them all the time, as it's our legal name

Hope that answers stuff for you.

SalixIncendium said:

I've seen it question if one has a Hindu name in another thread in the DIR. I have questions.

I was raised in a Catholic household and was given a "Confirmation name" upon receiving the sacrament of Confirmation and was wondering if there was some sort of parallel.

Do you have a Hindu name?

What is the purpose of having a one?

Is there a ritual where it is received?

Is the name selected by another, or is it selected by the individual?

When is it used?

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Born Hindus don't have any other name unless they take sannyas (become a monk) later in life. Some sects require converts to do this, but there is not a universal requirement.

SalixIncendium said:

I've seen it question if one has a Hindu name in another thread in the DIR. I have questions.

I was raised in a Catholic household and was given a "Confirmation name" upon receiving the sacrament of Confirmation and was wondering if there was some sort of parallel.

Do you have a Hindu name?

What is the purpose of having a one?

Is there a ritual where it is received?

Is the name selected by another, or is it selected by the individual?

When is it used?

Click to expand...

George-Ananda (Ananda best translates to 'detached bliss' in English)

I created the name for myself. No ritual.

sayak83 said:

Born Hindus don't have any other name unless they take sannyas (become a monk) later in life. Some sects require converts to do this, but there is not a universal requirement.

Click to expand...

And the naming systems in India get complicated ... varying by culture and state. My Sri Lankan friends took a while in explaining their system to me ... I get it now. The neat thing to me was that there is no family name retained. Other areas vary, and I have no great link to a place that explains it all.

Edited ... this link covers some of the complexities

Indian Naming Conventions: Family Names and Given Names

Vanakkam

Pretty much what Vinayakaji said, it's very complete information wise.

I didn't choose my name, but got it from one of the temple priest. He chose according to my character and my birth chart.

SalixIncendium said:

I was raised in a Catholic household and was given a "Confirmation name" upon receiving the sacrament of Confirmation

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Same here. Italian-Americans. And no, “Anthony” is not part of my name.

When I joined the Eastern Orthodox Church I took the Chrismation name Jason. I still use that as my legal middle name, since I never had one. The name Jason means “healer”. Odd, because I never knew that, and if there’s one thing I wish I had the power to do...

So anyway... I plucked Jainarayan (transliteration of Hindi pronunciation of Jayanārāyana, “glory/victory to God”) from an Indian baby names site. It just hit me, though technically based on my janma nakshatra (birth star) my name should start with Go-, as in Gopala, Govinda.

I did think, albeit briefly, about legally changing my name but I decided that my life is complicated enough.

SalixIncendium said:

Do you have a Hindu name?

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I do have a Hindu name

SalixIncendium said:

What is the purpose of having a one?

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To remind me "Who I Am" ... the Real Me

SalixIncendium said:

Is there a ritual where it is received?

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No ritual like you sometimes see in Hinduism

SalixIncendium said:

Is the name selected by another, or is it selected by the individual?

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My Master gave it to me

SalixIncendium said:

When is it used?

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I treasure it for myself ... nobody else knows about it (first time I write about it ... first time I see the question asked)

SalixIncendium said:

I've seen it question if one has a Hindu name in another thread in the DIR. I have questions.

I was raised in a Catholic household and was given a "Confirmation name" upon receiving the sacrament of Confirmation and was wondering if there was some sort of parallel.

Do you have a Hindu name?

What is the purpose of having a one?

Is there a ritual where it is received?

Is the name selected by another, or is it selected by the individual?

When is it used?

Click to expand...

Not really. One of my middle names (yes I have multiple) is Latchmi.
Naming a child is rather superstitious in my family. Believing that it can have an effect on the child’s subsequent personality traits. So names are picked for hopeful qualities.

SalixIncendium said:

I've seen it question if one has a Hindu name in another thread in the DIR. I have questions.

I was raised in a Catholic household and was given a "Confirmation name" upon receiving the sacrament of Confirmation and was wondering if there was some sort of parallel.

Do you have a Hindu name?

What is the purpose of having a one?

Is there a ritual where it is received?

Is the name selected by another, or is it selected by the individual?

When is it used?

Click to expand...

We don't necessarily see ourselves as Hindu but initiated members are given a Sanskrit name with a spiritual meaning (if they were not given one shortly after birth) if they so wish.
The purpose of a spiritual name is to help uplift the mind through its meaning.

The spiritual name is given by an acharya (yoga teacher) and there is no special ceremony.
Young children however are given their spiritual name in public in a special baby naming ceremony attended by members of the local community.

People living outside of India may choose to still use their old given name in their job or school situations or with their non-margi family while using their Sanskrit name in contacts with other margis. It depends on the personal situation and wishes of the person concerned.

In my country you cannot normally change your official (passport) given name unless it is considered to be odd or strange by the judge.
I do have a Sanskrit name which I use when I communicate with margis.

SalixIncendium said:

Do you have a Hindu name? Is the name selected by another, or is it selected by the individual? Is there a ritual where it is received? What is the purpose of having a one? When is it used?

Click to expand...

Yes, I have a given Hindu name (Amar Nath - associated with the premier Kashmir Shiva shrine). Generally the honor of choosing the name is given to the grandfather or equivalent elder at one's home, twelfth day after birth or so depending upon the community, done with feasting of close relatives. People also were given a secret name according to the birth chart at one time. It is for personal and religious identification. Used on all civil and legal occasions. I have chosen a Vedic nickname for use in forums. Sanskara (rite of passage) - Wikipedia

Amarnath cave and shrine, Jammu & Kashmir, 3,888 m (12,756 ft)

Vinayaka said:

In India the program of ghar wapsi run by the Arya Samaj is about taking Hindus back who were forcibly or coerced financially into another faith, and now regret it. So they have a ceremony, and change the name back to what it was originally. I'm not sure if they would do the same for western converts wishing to change their name.

Click to expand...

They would gladly do it for any person. The idea is to bind the person with their sect. They also have quick marriage ceremonies for people in a hurry and the ritual includes chanting the Gayatri mantra thrice in the beginning and thrice at the end of it. That is about all. The main-line Hindu priests will also do it but their procedure is longer and more costly. However, as you have pointed out, none is absolutely essential and all depends on the choice of the person.

Marcion said:

In my country you cannot normally change your official (passport) given name unless it is considered to be odd or strange by the judge.

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How are the judges concerned about any one's name. I do not know which country you live in. Do the judges, then, ask the person to change his/her name?

In India, name changes is no problem other than paper work - advertisements in two newspapers to see if anyone has objections, and an affidavit to a magistrate. Then change of name in all legal papers. That takes time and effort.

Actually, my son is in the process of changing the selling of my grandson's name, from 'Aaradhya' to 'Aradhya'. I had told my daughter-in-law that this spelling is ridiculous. They have woken up to it after 17 years. That means a spelling change in the passport, school records, bank account and Aadhar card (Indian government personal identification). I do not know how far they have done it.

Aupmanyav said:

Yes, I have a given Hindu name (Amar Nath - associated with the premier Kashmir Shiva shrine). Generally the honor of choosing the name is given to the grandfather or equivalent elder at one's home, twelfth day after birth or so depending upon the community, done with feasting of close relatives. People also were given a secret name according to the birth chart at one time. It is for personal and religious identification. Used on all civil and legal occasions. I have chosen a Vedic nickname for use in forums. Sanskara (rite of passage) - Wikipedia

Amarnath cave and shrine, Jammu & Kashmir, 3,888 m (12,756 ft)
They would gladly do it for any person. The idea is to bind the person with their sect. They also have quick marriage ceremonies for people in a hurry and the ritual includes chanting the Gayatri mantra thrice in the beginning and thrice at the end of it. That is about all. The main-line Hindu priests will also do it but their procedure is longer and more costly. However, as you have pointed out, none is absolutely essential and all depends on the choice of the person.
How are the judges concerned about any one's name. I do not know which country you live in. Do the judges, then, ask the person to change his/her name?

In India, name changes is no problem other than paper work - advertisements in two newspapers to see if anyone has objections, and an affidavit to a magistrate. Then change of name in all legal papers. That takes time and effort.

Actually, my son is in the process of changing the selling of my grandson's name, from 'Aaradhya' to 'Aradhya'. I had told my daughter-in-law that this spelling is ridiculous. They have woken up to it after 17 years. That means a spelling change in the passport, school records, bank account and Aadhar card (Indian government personal identification). I do not know how far they have done it.

Click to expand...

Good to know about Arya Samaj. Yes, Canada and India are the same as to procedure. I don't know where Marcion is from either. Let's not forget all the other reasons for a name change ... marriage, adoptions, it being an odd word than can be made fun of in the new country, plain dislike of it, and more.

Name change on marriage is customary in our community. Generally the bride's name will rhyme with the grooms name. In my case, it was 'Amar-Jyoti' (Eternal-light). It is more in fun than anything else. My wife's maiden name was Raj Kiran (Royal Ray, if translated in English). My daughters name (Anupama - Incomparable) was changed by her mother-in-law to Kavery - to rhyme with my son-in-law's name, Kapil; and so on. So, there will be big discussions in the family on how to name the new member, before finally, one is decided.