A growing number of people are turning towards numerology when naming their babies. M&B spoke to numerology expert Swetta Jumaani from Pune to get you the lowdown on the science...

Though numerology is a very old concept in India, it has recently become popular practice for parents to use a combination of astrology and numerology to zero in on names for their newborns. The bard may have asked, “What’s in a name?” But as far as the Jumaanis are concerned, there is a lot (read: everything!).

The number game now has a new meaning, to be Number One, you have to now get the numbers in your name right.

WHAT IS NUMEROLOGY?
Commonly, it’s the belief that each letter of your name has a certain value, and the sum total of this should be in harmony with your date of birth to have an easier life. This necessitates one to know more about the  study of numbers. The study of numbers is best known as numerology. It is an ancient science, which was practised by Hindus, Chaldeans, Hebrews, Egyptians, etc. In those days, this science was handed down from generation to generation of ‘wise men’ and kept as a secret from the general people. Slowly, it lost its significance and came to be regarded as a mere superstition. It was only in the last century that it came to be documented in a scientific manner and it was only in the last few decades that the general interest in numerology has been re-kindled, thanks to my father Bansilal M Jumaani.

IS IT JUST A PASSING FAD?
This same was asked of me by a journalist 11 years ago! How can a 5,000-year-old science be a fad? Awareness is only increasing, thanks to my father, the late Bansilal M Jumaani, who helped revive the art in India. Apart from cricketers, industrialists, most of the topmost film and TV producers and actors have used numerology to their benefit.

HOW CAN IT APPLY TO NEWBORN BABIES?
We all have a name and a date of birth, as we cannot change our date of birth, the next best thing we can do is to get our name on such a number that it matches the vibrations of our name. By making cosmetic changes in the name spellings we have helped thousands of people lead a happier life.

It is important for a newborn to have a lucky name as, if the child is fortunate from birth itself, he will have a better future. We find that there are people who work hard but do not get results, while some get results by putting in a lot less effort. This does not mean that we should not work hard. Remember, success is combination of hard work and good fortune.

Indian astrologers do their calculations as per the moon signs whereas we work according to the sun signs. Most parents believe in taking the starting letter of the name from pundits, but we do not consider only the first letter but the total sum of the letters that spell the name.

If an adult comes to us, we cannot change his name of so many years, so we make cosmetic changes in the spelling of his name to get it on a lucky number. However, in case of a newborn baby, we have the liberty to suggest a new name (of course, from a list of names given by the parents).Besides giving a lucky name, by seeing the date of birth, we can judge what type of a person he will turn out to be. According to this, we can guide the parents about the child’s future and most importantly, what line of work he is best suited for. Every number in numerology has its strong and weak points. Besides having a numerologically correct name, a knowledge of one’s strengths and weaknesses can go a long way in choosing the right career and leading a more satisfying life.

CAN YOU GIVE SOME TIPS TO BE CONSIDERED WHILE NAMING A BABY?
We suggest that for a newborn baby, the name should NOT start with the letters P, F, M, T or D as they belong to the planets Saturn and Uranus... two of the most disruptive planets in numerology. A few general points for overall well-being are:

Avoid the colours black and dark red as far as possible. Discard skin-touching items such as clothes, shoes, socks, belt, watch strap and so on of both these colours. Twenty-four is a lucky number for everybody. Write the number 24 on your front door (Do this only if your door is not south-opening ie, when you go out of your house, you should not go in the south direction) and on the south wall of the room which is used the most. Write the number 24 on your palm everyday.

DOES IT REALLY WORK?
Our work has already proved that cosmetic changes in spellings can attain huge success through numerology. Ninety per cent of our clients are ordinary people; names of celebrities are only taken so people can know about the wonders of numerology.

CAN IT BE USED FOR OTHER BENEFITS?
Compatibility issues can be sorted out, thereby improving relationships. Then, we have cases of at least 27 couples who were deemed childless by the best of gynaecologists of the country. After following numerology, they have gone on to become proud parents! Students can be guided towards better career options. But most importantly, a lot of people consult us for naming newborns; I believe it’s one of the best gifts parents can give them at that stage. M&B

Words Swati Chopra Vikamsey
Visuals Mother & Baby Picture Library