Makar Rashi Names — Baby Boy & Girl Names Starting with Bho, Ja, Ji, Khi, Khu, Khe, Kho, Ga, Gi

Where tables differ

Some tables give Shravana the syllables Ju, Je, Jo and Gha instead of Khi, Khu, Khe and Kho. Ju, Je and Jo belong to Abhijit in the older 28-nakshatra count, where Abhijit sits between Uttara Ashadha and Shravana; tables that fold Abhijit into the 27 carry those syllables over to Shravana.

Uttara Ashadha, Shravana and Dhanishta

The last three padas of Uttara Ashadha open Makar with Bho, Ja and Ji. Uttara Ashadha belongs to the Vishvedevas, the gods taken together, is ruled by the Sun and is pictured as an elephant's tusk. Shravana follows in full, giving Khi, Khu, Khe and Kho. Its deity is Vishnu, its ruler the Moon, and its symbol three footprints, recalling the three strides of Vishnu, or an ear, since the name itself means hearing. The first two padas of Dhanishta, the drum, give Ga and Gi; Dhanishta belongs to the Vasus and is ruled by Mars, and its second half continues into Kumbh.

Shravana is where the tables differ. Some list Ju, Je, Jo and Gha for it instead of the Kh syllables. Those Ju, Je and Jo syllables belong to Abhijit in the older count of twenty-eight nakshatras, and tables that fold Abhijit into the twenty-seven hand them to Shravana. This site follows the standard reading and notes the other beside the letters table, so a family using either table can still find its letter.

Where the Makar names are

Ja and Ji are generous: Jai, Janak, Jatin, Jayesh, Janaki, Jaya, Jayshree for Ja; Jitendra, Jeevan, Jignesh, Jigyasa for Ji. Ga and Gi are just as useful, with Gagan, Ganesh, Gajanan, Gayatri, Ganga, Garima, Gargi for Ga, and Girish, Giridhar, Gita, Girija for Gi. Bho is a short list, with Bhola among its few names; Bhoomi, whatever its spelling suggests, begins with Bhu and belongs to Dhanu.

Two cautions keep the list honest. Gaurav and Gautam begin with gau, which is heard both as Ga, a Makar letter, and as Go, a Kumbh letter, so this site does not place them under either. And although Shravana's Vishnu connection makes parents look for his names, many of the best known, Govind, Gopal and Gokul, start with Go and belong to Kumbh. Vishnu names that do fit Makar include Janardan and Jagannath.

Saturn's sign and the patient search

Saturn, lord of Makar, is the planet of patience and of things built to last, and the naming of a Makar baby rewards a little patience too. Once the pada has given the letter, families typically shortlist a few names, check meanings, and say them aloud with the surname before the naming day. The namkaran itself is traditionally performed on the tenth to twelfth day; the father or an elder speaks the janma nama into the right ear, and the family then uses the name for the first time.

If the letter is Kho or Khu, with very few names, many families keep a short Kh janma nama for the horoscope and give an everyday name from Ja, Ji, Ga or Gi, all within Makar. Others choose the everyday name freely. Both habits are common and neither departs from custom.

Makar rashi is the Moon's sign

Calling a mid-December to January baby a Capricorn refers to the Sun's tropical position. Makar rashi in naming refers to the Moon in sidereal Capricorn, a sign the Moon crosses in about two and a quarter days each month. Only the birth time and place show whether the Moon was there and in which pada.

What are the Makar rashi name letters?

Bho, Ja and Ji from Uttara Ashadha; Khi, Khu, Khe and Kho from Shravana; and Ga and Gi from the first two padas of Dhanishta. The Moon's pada at birth decides the baby's letter.

Some lists give Ju, Je, Jo for Makar. Which is right?

Both appear in published tables. Ju, Je and Jo belong to Abhijit in the older 28-nakshatra count; tables that merge Abhijit into Shravana give them to Shravana. The standard 27-nakshatra table gives Shravana Khi, Khu, Khe and Kho.

Is Gaurav a Makar rashi name?

Its opening gau can be heard as Ga, a Makar letter, or Go, a Kumbh letter. Because the two readings fall in different rashis, this site leaves it off both lists.

My baby was born in Shravana nakshatra. What should the name start with?

Shravana's four padas give Khi, Khu, Khe and Kho. Few names begin with them, so many families keep a short Kh name for rituals and choose the everyday name from Ja, Ji, Ga or Gi.

Is Makar rashi the same as Capricorn?

No. Makar rashi for naming is the sidereal sign of the Moon at birth; Capricorn in sun-sign astrology is the tropical sign of the Sun by date, so the two usually differ.