Mom Explains How Her Newborn Baby Named Herself Just Like She Named Herself — 'It's A Family Tradition’
Her family uses spiritual beliefs to name themselves.
@latha_jay / TikTok Family traditions that are passed down from generation to generation are so unique and fun to learn about. Some families gift pajama pants to each other on Christmas Eve, while others have a jack-o'-lantern carving competition in the fall.
TikToker and manifestation coach Latha Jay has one of the most unique family traditions: babies name themselves.
The tradition is based on numerology. Numerology is the study of numbers and how they fit into our lives. The practice of numerology can be traced back to ancient times and is similar to astrology in the way that it teaches us about the spiritual world around us and inside of us.
Each date correlates with a specific number. The birth date of the baby corresponds to a certain number and their name comes from that.
In a video, Jay broke down the numerology method her grandmother, mother, and herself have followed with each generation of children, including her new baby.
It is important to use the birth date of the baby, not the day that labor started to calculate the number.
Her new baby was born on July 4th, 2023. July is the 7th month and she was born on the 4th day in the year, 2023. (Zeroes don't count.)
So, 7 + 4 + 2 + 2 + 3 = 18. However, the goal is to get a single-digit number, so it must be reduced to 1 + 8 = 9.
The Tiktoker knows that 9 is the numerology number associated with her newborn baby. The name she chose was Ayli Raaj. Jay explained that when you add all of her names up, they equal 9.
Alyi = 2
Raaj = 3
Last name (not disclosed for privacy reasons) = 4
2 + 3 + 4 = 9
Jay did not reveal how she got the numbers for each name, and people in the comments were a bit confused. It wasn’t until one user broke it down that it made sense.
Each letter corresponds to its number in the alphabet and is added together, breaking the numbers down until a single digit is reached.
Here is an example with Jay’s daughter’s first name: Ayli
A = 1
Y = 25
L = 12
I = 19
So it would go:
1 + 25 + 12 + 19 = 47
4 + 7 = 11
1 + 1 = 2
Jay said that the meaning of Ayli’s name is “moonlit royalty in the Darkwood forest.” Talk about one heck of a powerful name!
One user in the comments exclaimed that she is going to be a powerhouse based on the meaning of her name and her name number. According to numerology, a name shapes "your life, experiences, personality, and choices.”
How important is a name?
According to the University of British Columbia, “Our names are an incredibly important part of our identity. They carry deep personal, cultural, familial, and historical connections. They also give us a sense of who we are, the communities in which we belong, and our place in the world.”
With that being said, Jay’s family tradition of babies naming themselves is incredibly influential on the lives of those babies. A name gives a person a sense of identity and, pairing that with numerology, a spiritual practice that Jay and her family hold dear, is very special. Instilling family traditions in her name makes it all the more remarkable.
How important are family traditions?
Family traditions create a positive impact on family bonds. They help you make memories and give you something to look forward to.
Family traditions strengthen bonds as well by reminding you what your family stands for and by bringing everyone together. By participating in the tradition, you feel a sense of belonging and inclusion that only being a part of a close family brings.
Family traditions remind you of what truly matters in life: family, values, and identity. Jay’s family tradition combines values and identity by integrating spirituality, numerology, and birth dates into choosing a name for children.
Hopefully, when Ayli is old enough to understand the meaning of her name, how she chose it, and the importance of the family tradition behind it, she will cherish it for the power, strength, and identity that she gave to herself. Who knows — she might even pass the tradition on to her own children.
Tarah Hickel is a Washington-based writer and a frequent contributor to YourTango. She focuses on entertainment and news stories that include viral topics and human interest pieces.