Namkaran Hindu religious ceremony for naming a new-born child. Naming is done either at birth or on the 10th, 11th or 12th day after birth. According to Manu, the most propitious day for this ceremony is the 10th or the 12th day; if this is not held then another auspicious day may be chosen.

A child may have two names: one public and the other known only to parents. According to Manu, Hindus should have names denoting wellbeing, physical strength, wealth, happiness, protection, good health and service. But this rule is greatly relaxed these days. The ceremonies once used to include recitation from the holy books and an oblation of fire into which ghee was poured eight times. These have been greatly simplified in recent times. [Suresh Chandra Banerjee]