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Summary of Question:	What's In A Name?
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Wednesday, 6/14/2000 12:20 PM MDT

When I was born, my parents didnt pick my name out of the SGGS. I was told that your name has a significant meaning to your life, ie. your destiny. How is a name picked, is an ardaas or some paat done? and should i do an ardaas or the appropriate paat to see if the first word/letter comes up different from my current name?

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REPLY
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Dear Nirmal:

Sat Siri Akaal Ji.

Yes, our names do have a meaning and vibration that is important to our lives. For example, I was not born a Sikh, but my birth name (Kathryn) has the SAME meaning as Khalsa. That's just one example. Personally, I do not like to shorten my (Sikh) name or use a nickname because I want the vibration of my name's meaning to work FOR me, and shortening and nicknames don't do this.

The traditional way Sikhs name their baby is:
As soon as the mother and child are able they with the child's father should get Guru Ji's darshan and offer an Ardaas and Deg thanking Guru Ji for a beautiful child. Then they take a Hukumnamaa from Siri Guru. The FIRST letter of the first sentence in the Hukamnamaa verse should be the letter their child's name will begin with. (Do not count the description of the raga style or the "Ik Onkar Sat Gurprasad for the letter.) The parents then meditate on a name that suits the child. In this way Guruji has a role in naming the child.

It is up to you if you would like to start over with a new name. "Nirmal" means pure, without stain (literally). If you do want to start over, meditate on it and then proceed as above. You might want to have close family or friends be part of the process.

Rab Rakha,
-Dharmatma Kaur