Numerology Systems

An overview of of the numerical systems used by numerologists

Basic System

The system used most commonly links each letter in the English alphabet (A-Z) to their numerical position within the alpabet. For example, A=1, B=2, C=3, D=4, E=5, F=6 and G=7, and so on. In numerology, it is useful to link each letter with a single-digit number, so letters J and later in the alphabet, which have a two digit numerical position, must be reduced to single digit values. We do this by taking the 2 numbers of the letter's position in the alphabet and add them together. For example, the letter K is the 11th letter of the alphabet, so we take 1+1 and the number 2 becomes associated with K.

Below, you'll see these single-digit values in a table:

Chaldean Method

The second method, the Chaldean system, works in a similar way to the first, but assigns different values to each letter. The number 9 is considered holy by the Babylonian civilization from which it originates, so the Chaldean method assigns letters a number between 1 and 8, except where, in name numerology, 9 is the sum of letters' values. Numerologists consider that single-digit numbers under the Chaldean method offer insight into outer influences, while double-digit outcomes tell us about the inner influences of a person.

Below, you'll find a table with the Chaldean values of letters:

You'll notice that letters phonetically similar are often grouped together, such as C and G, and given the same numeric value.

Which System to Use?

The system you choose to use when interpreting names in numerology depends on your view. The basic system is much easier to calculate on a piece of paper than the Chaldean method, as it's more logical. However, if you're looking to add a culturally different approach to add to your numerological calculations, or are looking to widen your skills in terms of numerology, give the Chaldean method a go.