The Numerology of Names

There is a reason why you have your name and it’s not because it sounded classy in the gossip pages of the New York Post (which is where my mom found my name). Your birth name paired with numerology can enlighten you on what motivates you in life, what warrants your true expression, and the lasting impression you leave on others when you exit a room.

It started with Pythagoras, the Greek mathematician who invented the a2 + b2 = c2 Pythagorean Theorem, the only equation I remember from eleventh grade geometry. In 6th century BCE, Pythagoras combined mysticism with mathematics to construct a quotient about the future of one’s life. He coined it Pythagorean numerology and used numbers assigned to the letters in one’s full name (as well as using the numbers in one’s date of birth). The numerology determined what innate abilities one was given at birth to determine what might happen late in life, and it has become the source for modern numerology today.

How Numerology Works
When working with a name, numbers have corresponding letters. The numbers are added up and broken down into single digits in order to give you your final Destiny Number.

The Number Assignments

1= A, J, S

2= B, K, T

3= C, L, U

4= D, M, V

5= E, N, W

6= F, O, X

7= G, P, Y

8= H, Q, Z

9= I, R

How to Find Your Destiny Number

  1. Write down your full name (first, middle, and last). This is the name you were given at birth—not your married name, etc.
  2. Using the table above, write down the number matched to each letter in each name (i.e. AMANDA = 1, 4, 1, 5, 4, 1).
  3. Add the numbers together for each name (i.e. 1+4+1+5+4+1= 16).
  4. You will most likely get a double digit for each name; break down each double digit number you get by adding the first and second digit to get one number (i.e. from the 16 above, add together 1+6 to get 7, which is the number for my first name).
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07.31.2009
Neha Grey
Neha=1, determined, autonomous, and self-reliant. I'd say that's about right!
I remember the numerology section of YM magazine as a tween, thanks for bringing me back, super interesting!
I did this with my husband and kids and they really enjoyed it! Our numbers were pretty accurate.
07.31.2009
Harriet M
I love all the different ways we can figure out our personalities. Of course it's all in good fun, but sometimes it ends up being eerily true!
I can't say that I hold much stock in numerology. You could look at any of those descriptions and think, "Yeah, that describes me!"
It feels good to write.

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