Naam is fundamental to the Sikh faith. It has been used in Sri Guru Granth Sahib or Gurbani innumerable times The scripture uses it in the beginning of Mool Mantar as Sat Naam and in the last Tuk “Nanak naam mile ta jiva tann mann theevai haria” before Ragmala. So SGGS starts and ends with Naam.

At the face of it Naam means a name. Yes it is name of Akal Purakh or God who has no name.

The third Guru defines Naam thus

ਆਪੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਸਵਾਰਿਓਨੁ ਵਿਚਿ ਨਵ ਨਿਧਿ ਨਾਮੁ ॥
ਇਕਿ ਆਪੇ ਭਰਮਿ ਭੁਲਾਇਅਨੁ ਤਿਨ ਨਿਹਫਲ ਕਾਮੁ ॥
ਇਕਨੀ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਬੁਝਿਆ ਹਰਿ ਆਤਮ ਰਾਮੁ ॥
ਇਕਨੀ ਸੁਣਿ ਕੈ ਮੰਨਿਆ ਹਰਿ ਊਤਮ ਕਾਮੁ ॥
ਅੰਤਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਰੰਗੁ ਉਪਜਿਆ ਗਾਇਆ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਣ ਨਾਮੁ ॥੧੩॥

The Creator fashioned the body and put in it the treasure of Naam. I

God leads some astray, they fail in life;

The Gurmukhs – guru oriented – realize that God is within.

Some hear this and believe; they have exalted deeds;

Thus develops love within and then one sings Naam, the Divine virtues. (M: 3, p 1090).

The basic definition of Naam therefore is Divine virtues.

Gurbani uses it directly as such at most places. For example:

ਕਿਰਤਮ ਨਾਮ ਕਥੇ ਤੇਰੇ ਜਿਹਬਾ ॥ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਤੇਰਾ ਪਰਾ ਪੂਰਬਲਾ ॥

Krtam naam kathay tere jihba : Sat Naam tera Para Poorbala

The tongue says your names as per what You do; but You have been known as the Universal Truth from time immemorial.(M: 5. p 1083).

This is how it is used in the Mool Manatar i.e.

ੴ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ॥

The One all pervasive Creator is the Universal Truth, who is and will ever be the same.

Some of the other applications of this are:

ਨਾਮੁ ਧਨੁ ਨਾਮੋ ਰੂਪੁ ਰੰਗੁ ॥ ਨਾਮੋ ਸੁਖੁ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮ ਕਾ ਸੰਗੁ ॥ਨਾਮ ਰਸਿ ਜੋ ਜਨ ਤ੍ਰਿਪਤਾਨੇ ॥ ਮਨ ਤਨ ਨਾਮਹਿ ਨਾਮਿ ਸਮਾਨੇ ॥ਊਠਤ ਬੈਠਤ ਸੋਵਤ ਨਾਮ ॥ ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਜਨ ਕੈ ਸਦ ਕਾਮ ॥੬॥

For the devotees Naam is wealth and personal beauty; all pleasures lie in Naam; those who are thus contented remain absorbed in Naam both mentally and physically. M: 5, p 286.

Naam is also used as praise like in good name. Of all the ways praises are showered Naam is supreme:

ਨਾਮਨ ਮਹਿ ਤੇਰੋ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਨਾਮਾ ਗਿਆਨਨ ਮਹਿ ਗਿਆਨੀ ॥

Of all the ways to praise, Naam is supreme and also the source of spiritual wisdom. M: 5, 507.

Naam, the Divine virtues are also the support and guide for life:

ਨਾਮੁ ਭਗਤ ਕੈ ਪ੍ਰਾਨ ਅਧਾਰੁ ॥ ਨਾਮੋ ਧਨੁ ਨਾਮੋ ਬਿਉਹਾਰੁ ॥੧॥ Naam Bhagat kai praan adhaar; naam dhann naamo biohaar. 1.

For the devotee Naam is the support for life; Naam is wealth and dealings (conduct). M: 5, p 189).

Naam as virtues cleanses or purifies the mind.

ਭਰੀਐ ਮਤਿ ਪਾਪਾ ਕੈ ਸੰਗਿ ॥ ਓਹੁ ਧੋਪੈ ਨਾਵੈ ਕੈ ਰੰਗਿ ॥

Our mind is soiled by by transgressions; it is purified by the love of Naam. (Japji Pauri 20).

ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮਿ ਨਾਵੈ ਸੋਈ ਜਨੁ ਨਿਰਮਲੁ ਫਿਰਿ ਮੈਲਾ ਮੂਲਿ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥ ਨਾਮ ਬਿਨਾ ਸਭੁ ਜਗੁ ਹੈ ਮੈਲਾ ਦੂਜੈ ਭਰਮਿ ਪਤਿ ਖੋਈ ॥੨॥ ੩ ੧੨੩੪

One who bathes in Naam is purified and never becomes impure again;without naam every one is stained by vices, caught in duality and deluded; never receiving the honor to be accepted by the Creator. M: 3, p 1234.

Naam is not just virtues but also Hukam, the Divine command to emulate the virtues. The Slok at the end of Japji ends thus:

ਜਿਨੀ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਇਆ ਗਏ ਮਸਕਤਿ ਘਾਲਿ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਤੇ ਮੁਖ ਉਜਲੇ ਕੇਤੀ ਛੁਟੀ ਨਾਲਿ ॥੧॥

Those who remember Naam , their toil is fruitful.M: 1. p 8.

Partaking in Satsangat/ Sadhsangat, the holy congregation is an essential part of Sikh practice. This is Naam oriented:

ਸਤਸੰਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੀ ਜਾਣੀਐ ॥ ਜਿਥੈ ਏਕੋ ਨਾਮੁ ਵਖਾਣੀਐ ॥ ਏਕੋ ਨਾਮੁ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਹੈ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਦੀਆ ਬੁਝਾਇ ਜੀਉ ॥੫॥

Question: How do we recognize holy congregation:

Answer: Where only One Naam is the subject of discourse. One Naam is ordained as explained by the true guru. M: 1, p 72.

Every thing created represents Naam, the creative virtue of God. This is explained thus:

ਜੇਤਾ ਕੀਤਾ ਤੇਤਾ ਨਾਉ ॥ ਵਿਣੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਕੋ ਥਾਉ ॥

Whatever exists bears the stamp of Naam (Japji Pauri 19).

Further we read in Sukhmani Sahib:

ਨਾਮ ਕੇ ਧਾਰੇ ਸਗਲੇ ਜੰਤ ॥ ਨਾਮ ਕੇ ਧਾਰੇ ਖੰਡ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੰਡ ॥
It is not possible to describe Naam fully we can only say a bit.

We read in Rehras Sahib:

ਆਖਾ ਜੀਵਾ ਵਿਸਰੈ ਮਰਿ ਜਾਉ ॥ ਆਖਣਿ ਅਉਖਾ ਸਾਚਾ ਨਾਉ

I live by Naam and die without it; it is hard to describe Naam.

Further:

ਸਰਬ ਧਰਮ ਮਹਿ ਸ੍ਰੇਸਟ ਧਰਮੁ ॥ ਹਰਿ ਕੋ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪਿ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਕਰਮੁ ॥ ੫ ੨੬੬

The most sublime faith amongst all isto remember Divine virtues and do righteous deeds. M: 5, p 266.

ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪੰਤਿਆ ਕਛੁ ਨ ਕਹੈ ਜਮਕਾਲੁ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਮਨੁ ਤਨੁ ਸੁਖੀ ਹੋਇ ਅੰਤੇ ਮਿਲੈ ਗੋਪਾਲੁ ॥੧॥ ੫ ੪੫੭

By remembering Divine virtues and living by them, the messengers of death say nothing i.e. leave the soul alone/the mind stays at peace;the mind and body remain at peace – thoughts and actions are guided by the state of poise – and finally the soul merges with the Creator. M: 5, p 547. ਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪੰਤਿਆ ਕਛੁ ਨ ਕਹੈ ਜਮਕਾਲੁ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਮਨੁ ਤਨੁ ਸੁਖੀ ਹੋਇ ਗੋਪਾਲ੪੫੭

By remembering Divine virtues and living by them, the messengers of death say nothing i.e. leave the soul alone/the mind sta and body remain at peace – thoughts and actions by the state of poise – and finally the soul merges with the Creator. M: 5, p 547.