How do we choose a baby's name the traditional way?

the nāmakaraṇa is usually on the 11th or 12th day, often using a starting syllable from the birth nakṣatra.

The naming ceremony, nāmakaraṇa, is one of the early saṃskāras. The Gṛhya Sūtras place it around the tenth day after birth; most families today do it on the 11th or 12th day, after the birth sūtak ends, though it can be done later too.

A popular method is to use the baby's janma nakṣatra — the lunar mansion the Moon was in at birth. Each nakṣatra has four quarters (pādas), and each pāda is linked to a sound such as “Chu”, “Che”, “Cho” or “La”. A name beginning with that sound is considered auspicious. Many families also keep a private “nakṣatra name” for rituals and a different everyday name.

Beyond the syllable, choose a name with a good meaning that is easy to say — the name of a deity, a virtue or a sacred river. The child will carry it for life, so meaning matters more than fashion.

Source: Gṛhya Sūtras · Syllable from the nakṣatra pāda

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