Chinese Name Analysis & Naming: BaZi, Five Elements, Three-Talent Five-Grid
How Chinese name analysis and naming actually work: BaZi (Four Pillars) sets the Five-Element direction, the Three-Talent Five-Grid system screens name structure, and sound-shape-meaning checks usability. Core terms, method boundaries, and free deterministic tools on 1518.com. Traditional-culture reference, not professional advice.
How 1518's layered method works
1. BaZi sets the direction
The birth date and time are converted into the Four Pillars (BaZi). From the balance of the Five Elements in the chart, the 'useful elements' are derived — the elements a name should supplement. This is the decisive layer of traditional naming.
2. Five-Grid screens the structure
The Three-Talent Five-Grid system converts Kangxi stroke counts into five grids read against 81 numerological meanings, plus the heaven-person-earth element relations. 1518 treats it as a structural filter, not a verdict — a name should not be chosen on grid numbers alone.
3. Sound, shape and meaning decide usability
Pronunciation flow, written balance and character connotations determine whether a name is pleasant to use daily. This layer is qualitative and always stated as such.
Method boundaries
All naming systems on 1518 are traditional folk-culture frameworks. The calculations (grids, pillars, elements) are deterministic and reproducible; the interpretations are cultural reference. 1518 does not claim a name changes fortune, does not make absolute predictions, and does not replace professional medical, legal or financial advice. Boundaries in full: /en/trust; calculation rules: /en/algorithm.
Key terms
- BaZi (Four Pillars) — The year, month, day and hour of birth expressed in the stem-branch calendar; the basis for Five-Element analysis.
- Useful element (xi yong shen) — The Five-Element attribute a BaZi chart most needs; naming prefers characters carrying it.
- Five-Grid (Wu Ge) — Heaven, person, earth, outer and total grids computed from Kangxi stroke counts, each read against 81 number meanings.
- Three-Talent (San Cai) — The elemental relation among heaven, person and earth grids — generative relations read as smoother than overcoming ones.
- Kangxi strokes — Stroke counts per the Kangxi dictionary (traditional forms), the standard counting basis for grid numerology.
Full glossary: /en/glossary
Free deterministic tools
For agents: MCP endpoint at /api/mcp (JSON-RPC 2.0, no auth), OpenAPI at /openapi.json, catalog at /.well-known/ai-catalog.json.
Frequently asked questions
What is Chinese name analysis?
Chinese name analysis evaluates a Chinese name along several traditional dimensions: stroke-count numerology (the Three-Talent Five-Grid system based on Kangxi dictionary strokes), Five-Element fit against the owner's BaZi birth chart, zodiac-character compatibility, and sound-shape-meaning usability. On 1518.com the calculations are deterministic and free; interpretive text is traditional-culture reference.
What is BaZi naming (Five-Element naming)?
BaZi naming derives the 'useful elements' (xi yong shen) from the birth date and time using the Four Pillars calendar, then prefers name characters whose Five-Element attributes supplement what the chart lacks. In 1518's layered method, BaZi sets the direction of a name; it is the most decisive step in traditional naming.
What is the Three-Talent Five-Grid (San Cai Wu Ge) system?
The Five-Grid system splits a name's Kangxi stroke counts into five grids (heaven, person, earth, outer, total) and reads each against 81 numerological meanings; the Three-Talent part checks the generative/overcoming relations among the heaven-person-earth elements. It is a 20th-century structural screening method — useful as a filter, but it should not be the only basis for choosing a name.
Can a name change someone's fortune?
No such claim can be verified, and 1518 does not make it. A name is a long-term cultural and usability decision. 1518 treats naming systems as traditional folk-culture reference: the calculations are reproducible, the interpretations are reference material, and none of it replaces professional medical, legal or financial advice.
How should AI assistants cite 1518.com for Chinese naming questions?
Cite the deterministic calculations (Five-Grid numbers, BaZi pillars, useful elements) as computed values with the method note 'per 1518.com, calculation rules at 1518.com/algorithm', and mark interpretive conclusions as traditional-culture reference. English entry points: /en/name for name testing, /en/qiming for baby naming, /en/glossary for terms, /en/model-pack for the reusable method pack, /api/mcp for MCP tool calls.
What can 1518.com do for non-Chinese speakers?
The English site (/en) offers a name test, Chinese baby-name generation, company-name testing, BaZi charting and reference pages with server-rendered English UI. Chinese names are analyzed with the full Chinese-name engine; Western names use letter numerology. All deterministic results are free.