Choosing an Auspicious Thai Name by Birth Day: Taksa Made Simple, Plus What to Check Before Registering the Birth
Thai Taksa tradition sorts letters into 8 groups by birth day, with kalakini letters families usually avoid. A simple table, plus the legal naming rules to check before you register the birth.
As soon as the due date is set, grandma is already asking, “Have you picked a name yet? Have you checked the birth day?” Some families have a monk or respected elder choose the name. Others want to choose it themselves, but open a naming book and have no idea where to start.
Here’s a simple guide to the Taksa (ทักษา) system, as the traditional belief many Thai families follow. We’re not telling you whether to believe in it or not. And there’s something just as important: what you need to check legally before you go to register the birth, so the name you chose with so much love gets accepted the first time.
What is Taksa, and why do Thai families use it for names?
Quick Answer: Taksa is a Thai astrology system that groups the letters of the Thai alphabet by the planet of each day of birth, and assigns 8 meanings. Thai families use it to pick auspicious letters and avoid letters considered bad for the baby’s birth day.
Here are the 8 Taksa and their meanings as naming texts explain them (in order):
| Taksa | Meaning in the belief |
|---|---|
| Boriwan (บริวาร) | Family, people around you, subordinates |
| Ayu (อายุ) | Health, long life |
| Det (เดช) | Power, commanding respect |
| Si (ศรี) | Auspiciousness, good fortune, charm |
| Mula (มูละ) | Property, a stable foundation |
| Utsaha (อุตสาหะ) | Diligence, effort |
| Montri (มนตรี) | Elders and patrons who support you |
| Kalakini (กาลกิณี) | Bad things, to be avoided |
Many families name by Taksa because it feels like giving the baby a blessing through their name, and it puts the elders in the family at ease too.
How are the letter groups divided by planet?
Quick Answer: In the widely used Taksa texts, Thai letters are divided into 8 groups, each belonging to the planet of one day.
| Planet (day) | Letter group |
|---|---|
| Sunday | All vowels |
| Monday | ก ข ค ฆ ง |
| Tuesday | จ ฉ ช ซ ฌ ญ |
| Wednesday | ฎ ฏ ฐ ฑ ฒ ณ |
| Saturday | ด ต ถ ท ธ น |
| Thursday | บ ป ผ ฝ พ ฟ ภ ม |
| Rahu (Wednesday night) | ย ร ล ว |
| Friday | ศ ษ ส ห ฬ อ |
The planets in Taksa go around in this order: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, Thursday, Rahu, Friday, then back to the start. The planet of your baby’s birth day is “Boriwan”, the next one is “Ayu”, the next is “Det”, and so on, until the last one is “Kalakini”.
Which letters should you avoid for your baby’s birth day?
Quick Answer: Each birth day has its own kalakini letters. For example, babies born on Monday avoid vowels, and babies born on Tuesday avoid ก to ง. See the table below.
| Baby born on | Kalakini letters (usually avoided) |
|---|---|
| Sunday | ศ ษ ส ห ฬ อ |
| Monday | All vowels |
| Tuesday | ก ข ค ฆ ง |
| Wednesday (daytime) | จ ฉ ช ซ ฌ ญ |
| Wednesday (night / Rahu) | บ ป ผ ฝ พ ฟ ภ ม |
| Thursday | ด ต ถ ท ธ น |
| Friday | ย ร ล ว |
| Saturday | ฎ ฏ ฐ ฑ ฒ ณ |
For example, for a baby born on Saturday: Boriwan is ด to น, Ayu is บ to ม, Det is ย ร ล ว, Si is ศ ษ ส ห ฬ อ, and Kalakini is ฎ to ณ. To boost good fortune, many families choose a name starting with a letter from the Si group.
Some texts avoid kalakini letters anywhere in the name, some are strict only about the first letter, and some families also look at numerology. The details vary by expert. If your family already has a monk or fortune teller you respect, consulting them is a nice tradition.
If the parents don’t believe in this, do they have to follow it?
Quick Answer: Not at all. Taksa is a belief and a tradition, not a legal requirement. A name chosen without Taksa can be registered as normal.
Scientifically, there’s no evidence that the letters in a name affect a child’s life. But for many families, naming by Taksa reassures the elders and passes on the culture, and that really can’t be denied.
If you want a middle path, many families do this:
- Choose a name with a good meaning first, then check it has no kalakini letters
- Let the elders help choose the official first name, while the parents choose the nickname (Thai kids almost always have a short nickname used day to day)
- Talk it through. If the name you love has a kalakini letter, discuss openly how comfortable everyone is with it
In the end, the best name is the one the whole family calls your child with love.
What to check legally about the name before registering the birth
Quick Answer: Under the Personal Names Act, a first name must not be the same as or resemble the King’s name, the Queen’s name or a royal title, and must not have vulgar words or meanings.
When you register the birth, the name must follow the naming rules. Run through this before you leave home:
- Not the same as or similar to the King’s name, the Queen’s name or a royal title
- No vulgar words or meanings, including hidden meanings you may not have intended
- Clear spelling. Bring the name written on paper so the officer doesn’t mistype it, and check the spelling on the birth certificate before you take it home
- Think about the English spelling too, because you’ll need it for a passport. If a name can be spelled several ways in English, pick one and use it consistently on every document
- A very long name isn’t wrong, but it makes life harder. Your child will be writing it for decades, on exams and forms. If you’re unsure whether a name is acceptable, ask Call Center 1548 first
And don’t forget the birth must be registered within 15 days of the birth. If you’re waiting for a name from an elder, ask them to choose it while you’re still pregnant. It’s much easier. For the documents you need, see Registering your baby’s birth: what documents you need.
If you’ve already named your baby, can you change it later?
Quick Answer: Yes. Apply to change the first name at the registration office. According to the Khan Na Yao District Office’s public guide, the fee is 50 baht and it takes about 50 minutes.
The basic documents in the guide are an ID card and the house registration book (ทะเบียนบ้าน). But for a young child who doesn’t have an ID card yet, the parents must apply on their behalf and may also need the birth certificate and the parents’ ID cards. Each registration office asks for slightly different documents, so calling before you go is the surest way.
Before you change it, think about these too:
- After a name change, you’ll need to update the name on other documents too, such as healthcare coverage, subsidies, insurance or passport
- If you’re going to change it, it’s much easier while your child is small, because there are fewer documents
- Nicknames don’t need to be registered, so you can change them as you like
Whether the name comes from a naming book, from the elders or from the parents’ hearts, it’s the first gift your child will carry for life. We hope it’s a name the whole family is proud of.
Questions parents ask
01How do you choose an auspicious name for a baby in Thailand?
By Thai custom, people look at the baby's day of birth using the Taksa system, choose letters from a group they want to boost, such as Si or Det, and avoid the kalakini letters for that birth day. Then they look carefully at the meaning of the name. How much to believe in it is up to each family.
02What are kalakini letters?
In the Taksa system, kalakini is the group of letters considered inauspicious for people born on a given day, so they are usually avoided in names. Each birth day has a different kalakini group.
03My baby was born on a Wednesday. Do I use Wednesday daytime or nighttime?
By tradition, if born on Wednesday during the day, you use Wednesday's Taksa. If born at night, you use Rahu's Taksa, which has different kalakini letters. Where the line between day and night falls can vary between texts, so ask someone your family respects.
04What kinds of names are not allowed under Thai law?
Under the Personal Names Act, a first name must not be the same as, or be intended to resemble, the King's name, the Queen's name or a royal title, and must not contain vulgar words or meanings.
05Do I have to choose the name before registering the birth?
It's best to have it settled before you go, because you have to give a name that follows the naming rules when you register the birth, which must be done within 15 days of the birth.
06Can I change my baby's name later?
Yes. Apply to change the first name at the registration office. According to the Khan Na Yao District Office's public guide, the fee is 50 baht and it takes about 50 minutes. For a young child, call 1548 to ask what extra documents you need.
Can't find what you're looking for?
Ask us anything about family life in Thailand. No name needed. We read every question, and the ones parents ask most become new guides.
Sources
- Khan Na Yao District Office (public guide): Changing a first name, setting and changing a middle name
- Call Center 1548, Department of Provincial Administration: Q&A guide on civil registration and ID cards
- Bureau of Registration Administration, Department of Provincial Administration: Registration guidebook
- myhora: The art of naming, Taksa Pakon (meanings of the 8 Taksa)
