History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c23.249

v2.c23.249

(1) The first rule in almost all sūtras is that the name for males should contain two or four syllables or an even number. This rule is deduced from Vedic literature where most of the names contain either two syllables (e. g. Baka, Trita, Kutsa, Bhṛgu) or four syllables (Trasadasyu, Purukutsa, Medhyātithi, Brahmadatta &c.), though names of three syllables (like Kavaṣa, Cyavana, Bharata) and of five syllables (like Nābhānediṣṭha, Hiraṇyastūpa) are not wanting. Baijavāpa⁵⁵⁶ gṛhya allowed the name to be of one, two, three, four or any number of syllables. Śāṅ. allowed a name even of six syllables and Baud. gṛ. (II. 1. 25) of six or even eight. Examples of names with two syllables and four syllables are given below.