Chaldean Numerology
Chaldean numerology is, by its claimed origin, older than Pythagorean numerology and works differently: letters are assigned numbers from 1 to 8 according to their sound, while 9 is considered sacred and is not used in the table. The main difference is that not only the final digits are interpreted, but also the compound numbers from 10 to 52.
How It Differs from Pythagorean Numerology
| Pythagorean | Chaldean | |
|---|---|---|
| Letter range | 1–9 | 1–8 |
| Basis | Alphabetical order | Sound and vibration |
| What is calculated | Full name as in your passport | The name you actually use |
| Compound numbers | Not interpreted | Interpreted from 10 to 52 |
As a result, the same name gives different numbers in the two systems. Arguing about which one is right is pointless: they are different traditions with different foundations.
How it is calculated
Each letter is assigned a value from 1 to 8, and the values are added up. The total is reduced to a single digit, but the intermediate sum must be noted — that is the compound number.
For example, a sum of 28 reduces to 1. The Chaldean school would read this as “a 1 by way of 28,” and in the tradition 28 has a reputation as a number of losses through trusting too easily.
Compound numbers are the main distinguishing feature of the Chaldean school. All meanings from 10 to 52.
Final Digits and Planets
Cheiro links the final digit to a planet: 1 — the Sun (will, leadership), 2 — the Moon (sensitivity, imagination), 3 — Jupiter (ambition, growth), 4 — Uranus (an independent outlook, unexpected turns), 5 — Mercury (a lively mind, communication, change), 6 — Venus (love, beauty, harmony), 7 — Neptune (intuition, dreaminess), 8 — Saturn (perseverance, trials, late success), 9 — Mars (energy, courage, struggle).
If the sum of the letters is less than 10, or adding up its digits gives less than 10, there is no compound number and the name is read by a single digit.
Where the method comes from
The name refers to Babylon, but the system in its current form was set out in the early 20th century by Louis Hamon, who wrote under the pen name Cheiro. He also introduced the interpretations of compound numbers that are still used today.
The antiquity of the tradition is not documented: surviving Babylonian texts contain no such system. In other words, Chaldean numerology is older than the Pythagorean version by its claimed origin, but not by its documented history.
Frequently asked questions
Why is there no 9?
In this tradition, 9 is considered a sacred number and is not assigned to letters. It can, however, appear as the result of a sum.
Which name should I use?
The name people actually call you, not the one in your passport. This is a fundamental difference from the Pythagorean school.
What if the sum is greater than 52?
Add up the digits of the sum until the number is 52 or less: the system interprets numbers only up to 52. For example, 57 → 5 + 7 = 12.