At a glance
- Identification point
- Table, spelling and selected letters jointly determine the total.
Definition and identification
Modern methods may use a full name, preferred name, vowels or consonants to create different theme numbers. This differs from interpreting original-language letters in a religious text. Romanizing a Chinese name introduces another choice. A name number is therefore a result of inputs, tables and selection rules, not a unique intrinsic quantity waiting to be discovered.
Structure and reading rules
Specify middle names, surnames, accents, spaces, hyphens and whether Y is treated as a vowel. Tables may use a repeating one-to-nine sequence or nonsequential one-to-eight groups. Retain the full letter-value sequence for checking. A changed total after renaming shows a changed input, not automatically a new objective force in a person’s life.
Concrete example
Under the repeating table, fictional MAIA gives M four, A one, I nine and A one: fifteen, reduced to six. Selecting only vowels gives eleven, which may be retained or reduced under the stated policy. Different selected material produces different results. Listing letters before calculation prevents the actual spelling from being lost behind a spoken name.
Historical context and limits
Manual vocabulary reflects English and its publishing setting rather than a universal rule across languages. Respect a person’s spelling and identity instead of pressing for a supposedly favorable renaming. Comparing algorithms is possible, but consistent arithmetic shows only that a convention was followed. Claims about personality, status or success require independent evidence.
References & further reading
Historical sources document ideas and rules of their time, not empirical proof of predictive accuracy. Source notes identify the nature and scope of each reference.
- C. J. Coffman, Manual of the Enumeration (1927)Primary / tradition source
Modern primary manual of name and birth-date number methods; terminology differs across later schools.
- Cheiro, Cheiro’s Book of NumbersPrimary / tradition source
Practitioner source for modern Chaldean letter tables; linked edition is a 1964 reprint, and ancient-origin claims are unverified.