Letter Values
Letter values are the table a numerology system uses to convert each letter of the alphabet into a number, and it's the foundation every name-based calculation — destiny number, soul urge number, hidden passion number, and more — builds on. Pythagorean numerology maps A through Z in repeating cycles of 1 through 9 (A=1 through I=9, then J=1 again), while Chaldean numerology assigns 1 through 8 by each letter's sound and never uses 9. Because the two tables assign different values to the same letters, the same name can produce a different number in each system.
Related terms
Common questions
- Why do Pythagorean and Chaldean letter values disagree?
- Pythagorean numerology assigns values purely by alphabet position, cycling 1 through 9. Chaldean numerology assigns values by each letter's sound and skips 9 entirely, so the two tables rarely match.
- Which letter value table should I use?
- It depends on which system you're following — Pythagorean numerology for the modern Western default, Chaldean for the sound-based ancient tradition. Mixing tables within one calculation isn't standard practice.
- Do letter values ever change for the same letter within one system?
- No — within a single system, each letter always maps to the same number. Kabbalistic numerology is a separate case with its own, larger table.
Last reviewed: August 12, 2026