History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c23.206

v2.c23.206

(9) *Nāmakaraṇa*:—(giving a name to the child). The Bṛ Up., Āśv., Śāṅ., Gobhila, Khādira and several others speak of giving a name to the boy on the day of birth. Āśv. (I. 15. 4 and 10) prescribes the giving of two names on that date, one for common use (for which he gives elaborate rules) and the other a secret one which his parents only know till the boy's upanayana. Śāṅ. reverses this and says the name for which similar elaborate rules are laid down by him is the secret name and a name for common use is to be given on the 10th day. Āp. gṛ. (15. 2-3 and 8) says on the day of birth a name derived from the nakṣatra (lunar mansion) on which the boy is born is given, which is the secret name and then on the 10th another name is to be given. According to Gobhila and Khādira a name is to be given in the Soṣyantī-karma which is to be kept secret.