Namakaranam (नामकरणम्)

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Namakarana is the naming ceremony. Nāma means name. It should be done on tenth day or on a date after tenth day –

दशम्याम् उत्थितायां स्नातायां पुत्रस्य नाम दधाति पितामाता इति। आपस्तम्बगृह्यसूत्रम् १५.८॥

daśamyām utthitāyāṃ snātāyāṃ putrasya nāma dadhāti pitāmātā iti।

Āpastambagṛhyasūtram 15.8॥ On the tenth day, after the mother wakes up, takes bath, both the father and mother establish the name.

द्व्यक्षरं चतुरक्षरं वा नाम . . . । आपस्तम्बगृह्यसूत्रम् १५.९॥

dvyakṣaraṃ caturakṣaraṃ vā nāma । . . . Āpastambagṛhyasūtram 15.9॥

The name should consist of two or four letters.

There are other conditions regarding the form of the name in different Gṛhyasūtras. This is called Vyāvahārikanāma (the name useful for day to day worldly transactions). For a male child the name should have even number of letters whereas it is uneven number of letters for a female child.