How to Calculate Gematria by Hand (Step by Step)
A clear step-by-step method for calculating the gematria value of any word or name, with worked examples in English and Hebrew.
You do not need a calculator to find a gematria value. All you need is a letter table and some addition. Here is the full method.
Step 1: choose a cipher
Pick the table you want to use. For beginners we suggest English Ordinal, where A = 1, B = 2 and so on to Z = 26. You can compare every option on the ciphers page.
Step 2: write out the letters
Take the word or phrase and write down only the letters. Remove spaces, punctuation and digits.
Step 3: look up each value
Write the value of each letter below it. Here is the word LIGHT in English Ordinal:
Step 4: add them up
The sum is the gematria value in that cipher. The same word in the Reduction cipher, where letters only range from 1 to 9, gives a different total:
Step 5: reduce to a single digit (optional)
Numerology often reduces the total further by adding its digits until one digit remains. For example, 83 reduces as 83 → 11 → 2. Some traditions stop at the master numbers 11, 22 and 33.
A Hebrew example
The Hebrew word חי (chai, "life") has two letters: ח (chet) is worth 8 and י (yod) is worth 10, so the total is 18. That is why gifts and donations in Jewish communities are often made in multiples of 18.
Check your work
- Add the English Ordinal and Reverse Ordinal totals. The sum must equal 27 times the number of letters.
- Sumerian totals must be exactly six times the English Ordinal total.
- Or let the calculator do it and compare.
With a little practice you will find that short words take only seconds. For a deeper look at how Chaldean and Pythagorean tables differ, read our comparison guide.