Name Numerology: Life Path, Expression and Soul Numbers
Numerology assigns a number to a birth date and to the letters of a name, then describes the number with a few traditional keywords. It is one of the simplest systems to try by hand, which is part of its charm. On NamesByStars numerology is shown for reference and does not affect how names are ranked. This guide explains the arithmetic, so that you can check any number yourself.
The Pythagorean letter table
The most common Western system gives each letter of the alphabet a number from 1 to 9, in order. A, J and S are 1. B, K and T are 2. C, L and U are 3. D, M and V are 4. E, N and W are 5. F, O and X are 6. G, P and Y are 7. H, Q and Z are 8. I and R are 9. The pattern is simply the alphabet counted in rows of nine.
The system is named after Pythagoras, the Greek philosopher who taught that number lies behind nature. The letter table itself is a modern Western convention, probably dating from the early twentieth century, and not something Pythagoras wrote. Other systems exist, notably the Chaldean one, and they give different results, so a person who compares sources should not expect them to agree.
Reducing to a single digit
Numerology works with the numbers 1 to 9. When a sum is larger, you add its digits together until one digit remains. For example, 29 becomes 2 plus 9, which is 11, and then 1 plus 1, which is 2. The exceptions are 11, 22 and 33, which are called master numbers and are traditionally left unreduced.
Master numbers are said to carry a stronger charge than ordinary numbers: 11 is linked to intuition and inspiration, 22 to building on a large scale, and 33 to teaching and care. Not every numerologist includes 33. We keep all three, and show the reduced number alongside them.
The life path number
The life path number comes from a date of birth. Reduce the month, the day and the year each to a single digit or master number, then add the three results and reduce again. For a birth on March 14, 1990, the month is 3, the day 14 becomes 1 plus 4, which is 5, and the year 1990 becomes 1 plus 9 plus 9 plus 0, which is 19, then 1 plus 9, which is 10, then 1. The sum is 3 plus 5 plus 1, which is 9, so the life path number is 9.
Traditionally the life path is the central number, described as the road you travel and the lessons it brings. A 1 is a pioneer, a 2 a peacemaker, a 3 a communicator, a 4 a builder, a 5 an explorer, a 6 a nurturer, a 7 a seeker, an 8 an achiever and a 9 a humanitarian. These are keywords from a tradition, and none of them has been shown to predict anything about an individual.
The expression number
The expression number, also called the destiny number, comes from every letter of a name. Convert each letter to its number, add them all and reduce. For a name such as Emma, E is 5, M is 4, M is 4 and A is 1, which adds up to 14 and then reduces to 5. The expression number is described as the talents and style you bring to the world.
This is where numerology touches naming directly, since a different first name gives a different number. Parents sometimes use it to check that the name they like produces a number they find appealing. A full name uses the first, middle and last names together, while a first-name number is a lighter version that can be worked out before the family name is added.
The soul number
The soul number, also called the soul urge or heart's desire, uses only the vowels of a name. The vowels are A, E, I, O and U, and traditionally Y counts as a vowel only when it works as one. In Mary and Lynn, for instance, the Y stands in for a vowel sound. In Yan and Kay it sits beside a real vowel, and it is treated as a consonant.
In Emma, the vowels are E and A, which give 5 plus 1, which is 6. The soul number is read as an inner motive, the thing you want underneath. A name with no vowels at all has no soul number, which is rare and usually comes from a very short name or an unusual spelling.
A note on honesty
There is no evidence that numbers derived from a birth date or from letters influence anyone's life. Numerology is best treated like a puzzle or a parlour game that happens to have a long history. If a number does not appeal to you, nothing is lost by ignoring it, and the same applies if it does.
It is also worth knowing that the same name can give different numbers depending on spelling. Katherine and Catherine, for example, add up to different totals, as do Sara and Sarah. That is a good reminder that the numbers say more about the system than about the name.
How we use numerology on NamesByStars
Every name page and every result card shows the expression and soul numbers for reference, with a short description of each number. We do not use them to rank names. The ranking comes from the Saju or astrology reading, and numbers are an extra note for people who like them.
To see the numbers for any name, browse the Names section and open a name page, or use the Check a name tool with a name of your own.
Try it with a birth date
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