Naman
Encyclopedia
In Hinduism
and Hindu mythology
, naman, that is, a person’s name, is believed to encompass within itself the fundamental nature of a person. It is also believed that the name of a person also affects the character of the bearer of that name. As such, particular care is taken to choose a name, and there takes place a naming ceremony after sixth, twelfth, or on a day depending on the local tradition. Generally, the choice of names of Hindus depends on the astrological sign under which the child was born. The name for a boy is after a god or a popular hero. The name of a girl is after the name of a goddess or a flower or a precious stone. Sometimes, when a person gets initiated into a religious order, the Guru gives the person another name, and sometimes such a name is whispered by the Guru in the ear of the disciple.
A change of social status also requires bestowing a new name on that particular person. Such a change may happen on account of a number of changes, including entering a religious order and accession to the throne. The emperor Ashoka
took the name of Priyadarshi (that is, believed of the gods). A number of gods and goddesses of Hindus have several names, running into hundreds of names. Thus, Vishnu has 1000 names and Shiva has 1008 names. These names are listed in the sahasranama
.
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
and Hindu mythology
Hindu mythology
Hindu religious literature is the large body of traditional narratives related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and the Puranas. As such, it is a subset of Nepali and Indian culture...
, naman, that is, a person’s name, is believed to encompass within itself the fundamental nature of a person. It is also believed that the name of a person also affects the character of the bearer of that name. As such, particular care is taken to choose a name, and there takes place a naming ceremony after sixth, twelfth, or on a day depending on the local tradition. Generally, the choice of names of Hindus depends on the astrological sign under which the child was born. The name for a boy is after a god or a popular hero. The name of a girl is after the name of a goddess or a flower or a precious stone. Sometimes, when a person gets initiated into a religious order, the Guru gives the person another name, and sometimes such a name is whispered by the Guru in the ear of the disciple.
A change of social status also requires bestowing a new name on that particular person. Such a change may happen on account of a number of changes, including entering a religious order and accession to the throne. The emperor Ashoka
Ashoka
Ashok Maurya or Ashoka , popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was an Indian emperor of the Maurya Dynasty who ruled almost all of the Indian subcontinent from ca. 269 BC to 232 BC. One of India's greatest emperors, Ashoka reigned over most of present-day India after a number of military conquests...
took the name of Priyadarshi (that is, believed of the gods). A number of gods and goddesses of Hindus have several names, running into hundreds of names. Thus, Vishnu has 1000 names and Shiva has 1008 names. These names are listed in the sahasranama
Sahasranama
A sahasranama is a type of Hindu scripture in which a deity is referred to by 1,000 or more different names. Sahasranamas are classified as stotras, or hymns of praise, a type of devotional scripture. Sahasra means a thousand, or more generally, a very large number. Nama means name...
.