The Secret Power in Your Name: Unlocking Your Destiny with Numerology

You carry it with you all the time. People know you by it. You may love it, dislike it, or have changed it. Your name has meaning to you and those you encounter. Let Numerology help you use it to your advantage.

When we are born and given a name, we are bestowed gifts that will guide us throughout our life. As we walk our life path—living our purpose—these gifts give us a hand up when we need it, or point the way to success and a joyful life.

In the world of numerology, this is known as your Expression Number – sometimes called the Destiny Number. While your Life Path Number – derived from your birthdate – outlines the road you are walking, your Expression Number reveals the character of the person walking it. It represents your innate talents, your natural abilities, and the specific magic you bring to the world.

The Name You Use Today vs. The Name You Were Born With

Throughout my life, I've tweaked my name many ways. I've gone by PJ, Patty Jo, and in work and business – my full name: Patricia Jo Angelini.

You may have changed your name due to marriage, adoption, or personal preference. In numerology, the birth name is your pre-destined potential.

However, the name you currently use – the one you introduce yourself with – is the energy you are choosing to project to the world now and it acts as an overlay.

Think of your birth name as the color blue. When you add a new name—which we will call yellow in this example—the result looks green. Underneath, it is still blue, but you have changed the perception of it and added strengths and talents you believe you need or want.

For instance, if your birth name is Sarah Johnson (which might calculate to Expression Number 5, representing freedom and adventure) but you go by Sarah Martinez after marriage (perhaps an Expression Number 3, representing creativity and communication), you haven't lost that adventurous spirit—you've simply blended it with new creative energies that now color how the world perceives you.

Understanding Your Palette

Just as blue and yellow combine to make green, your life is a mix of your destiny and your choices. Your Expression Number doesn't dictate who you will be; it explains the raw materials you are working with.

When you understand your base color—your birth potential—you can make better decisions about how to paint the rest of your life. It is not about changing who you are. It is about understanding the layers that make you whole.

How to Calculate Your Expression Number

To find your Expression Number, you'll assign each letter of your full birth name a number (A=1, B=2, C=3, and so on through I=9, then J=1, K=2, continuing the pattern). Add all the numbers together, then reduce to a single digit by adding those digits together. For example, if your name totals 47, you'd add 4+7=11, then 1+1=2. Your Expression Number would be 2.

Repeat this process with the name you currently use to see how you've adjusted your vibration.

Illuminate Your True Colors

Whether you are the sturdy blue of a builder or the bright yellow of a communicator, knowing and being at peace with your energy is key.

If your birth name feels heavy or misaligned—perhaps it brings up difficult memories, or never quite felt like "you"—calculating the number of your chosen name can reveal how you have subconsciously adjusted your vibration to better suit your current journey. Sometimes a name change isn't just a practical decision; it's an intuitive step toward becoming more authentically yourself.

Understanding both numbers—your birth name and your current name—gives you the complete picture. You can honor where you came from while embracing where you're going. Both colors matter. Both are part of your unique palette.