Can I Get Your Digits?
-By Debbi Decker

That tired old pick up line. A lot of us have heard it, although, luckily I have never had it used on me. Not sure how I would have reacted had someone done so. I do not suffer fools gladly.

But, the digits referenced here are not your telephone number. Rather, the numbers I want are the ones associated with your name. Numbers have power, and the subject here is Numerology.

Numerology has been practiced since the beginning of civilization and is still practiced today. It centers on the belief that numbers correspond to events or hold special meanings that correspond with the numbers. There are as many different practices as there are interpretations, but the one I want to discuss today is how to arrive at your birth name number. Names are powerful in and of themselves, as are the numbers associated with them. There are cultures who give a child a birth name which is kept secret from all except the closest family members. The child is given a second name that is for public use. Some cultures go further and allow names to be given for each stage of life, i.e., birth, teen, adult, and old age.

Numbers have power too. The adage of “what goes out comes back threefold” takes into account the number three. How about breaking a mirror and subsequently receiving 7 years of bad luck? Every culture looks at numbers differently, and each holds their own interpretation of what any number means. I won’t inundate you with details here as you can surf the web to find all kinds of information on this subject.

A popular Victorian pastime was finding your birth name number. This was done by taking the full name given at birth and assigning a number to each letter. The numbers were all added together until a single number emerged. That number was the birth number and, similar to your Sun Sign (Astrology), was supposed to have a high influence on your life and how you would live. So, let’s get started!

Here is a chart for assigning the numbers:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

A B C D E F G H I
J K L M N O P Q R
S T U V W X Y Z

Now, let’s take a name: Aloysious Emmanuel Hoplock (no reference to anyone, I just made this up). Assigning the numbers associated with each letter in the name, we first arrive at

1 3 6 7 1 9 6 3 1 5 4 4 1 5 3 5 3 8 6 7 3 6 3 2.

Add the string together 1+3+6+, etc. etc. and you arrive at 102. 1+0+2 = 3. Thus, the number 3 is Aloysious’ birth number.

A brief list of commonly used interpretations for the numbers are:

1. A person who prefers being alone, but could show some aggressiveness when threatened and is also good at leadership. Has the least similarity to the numbers 2 through 9.
2. A person who is balanced, does well in partnerships, and is receptive to others. Will exhibit at least one characteristic of all of the numbers 1 through 9.
3. A person who communicates well and enjoys interaction such as sports, debates, and teaching.
4. A person who exhibits great artistic talent, is malleable, and able to see beyond a static image or event.
5. A person who needs action, is restless and is always moving. Seeks stimulation from life experiences rather than mental experiences.
6. A person who is tied to home and family, is willing to take on responsibility, and is also artistic but in this case uses that ability to achieve home and family stability.
7. A person who is in tune with interior thought and consciousness, seeks knowledge of the universe, and seeks the spirit in everything.
8. A person who holds high physical and mental power, and is willing to sacrifice for the greater good.
9. A person who is the most adaptable and will go through the most of life’ changes as opposed to people with numbers 1 through 8. Typically shows some characteristics of all of the numbers 1 through 8.

You could use the same formula for a nickname. This result would be similar to the Astrological concept that your sun sign is the inner you and the Ascending sign is the face you show to the world. In Numerology, your birth number reveals the inner you and your nickname is the person others see.

Take a moment to convert your name to your birth number (and your nickname) and then see how the number(s) compare to your life so far. You might be surprised at how accurate Numerology can be.

Debbi Decker is proprietor of twistedpixelstudio Art & Assemblage Emporium. Check out her artist page to find links to her shop and blog to read more of her writings. Visit again next month for the telling of hauntings and ghostly tales by Debbi Decker.