Is silver safe for a baby to eat from?

Yes — silver has been used for children's eating vessels across India for generations, and 925 sterling is food-safe. Wash it by hand rather than in a dishwasher, dry it fully, and expect it to tarnish with use, which is normal and polishes off.

Should payal for a baby be fitted or loose?

Loose enough to turn freely on the ankle but not to slip over the heel. Babies outgrow them quickly, so a lightweight adjustable pair is more practical than a rigid sized one, and a good workshop can open them up later rather than replacing them.

What should be engraved on a naming-ceremony gift?

The child's name and the date are the usual choice; some families add a line of blessing. Send the exact spelling you want, in the script you want, and check it twice — engraving removes metal and cannot be reversed without refinishing the whole surface.

Buying silver · 1 October 2026 · 5 min read

Choosing a Silver Gift for a Naming Ceremony

What is traditionally given, what gets used rather than stored, and what to check before you engrave anything.

Short answer

Choosing a Silver Gift for a Naming Ceremony

The traditional silver gifts for a naming ceremony are a plate-and-bowl set, a pair of payal (anklets), or a small engraved keepsake. A plate set is the one most likely to be used daily rather than stored. Choose 925 silver for anything the child will handle, and check the spelling before engraving — it cannot be undone.

Most used: Plate & bowl set
Most traditional: Payal (anklets)
Metal: 925 — it gets handled
Engraving: Adds 1–2 days

Choosing a Silver Gift for a Naming Ceremony

Silver is the traditional gift at a namkaran, and most of what gets given ends up in a cupboard. If you would rather give something that is actually used, the choice narrows quickly.

The three traditional choices

A plate-and-bowl set — the most used of the three, because it enters daily life immediately and stays for years.
A pair of payal — the most traditional, and often the child's first silver. Lightweight and adjustable is more practical than rigid.
An engraved keepsake, frame or coin — the most likely to be kept rather than used, which is sometimes exactly the point.

What to check before you buy

Ask for the purity and the weight in writing. For anything a child handles, 925 rather than 999 — fine silver is soft enough to deform in a way that leaves sharp edges. Check that edges are rolled or finished rather than cut, and that any stones are set rather than glued.

Engraving

Engraving adds a day or two and is charged per piece. Send the exact text and spelling, in the script you want it in — Gujarati, Devanagari or English — and read it back before approving. Engraving cuts into the metal, so correcting a mistake means refinishing the surface, not erasing a line.

Ready-stock gifts dispatch in one to two working days, gift-boxed. Tell us the ceremony date when you enquire and we will tell you honestly whether it can be engraved and delivered in time.

Questions about this

Is silver safe for a baby to eat from?: Yes — silver has been used for children's eating vessels across India for generations, and 925 sterling is food-safe. Wash it by hand rather than in a dishwasher, dry it fully, and expect it to tarnish with use, which is normal and polishes off.
Should payal for a baby be fitted or loose?: Loose enough to turn freely on the ankle but not to slip over the heel. Babies outgrow them quickly, so a lightweight adjustable pair is more practical than a rigid sized one, and a good workshop can open them up later rather than replacing them.
What should be engraved on a naming-ceremony gift?: The child's name and the date are the usual choice; some families add a line of blessing. Send the exact spelling you want, in the script you want, and check it twice — engraving removes metal and cannot be reversed without refinishing the whole surface.

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