How are people able to calculate that certain names, such as Bill Gates and Nero, equal 666?

AND I quote:

For the sake of the argument, let's grant the author the following: 1) he can calculate 666 in English; 2) he can use ASCII, a computer code system in which numeric values are given to letters; 3) he can use all capital letters; and 4) he can use the formal "III" with the nickname "Bill." On examination, BILL GATES in ASCII adds up to 663, as the author says. Then he adds the value for "the third," written as "III." So 663 + 3 = 666, right? Dead wrong and dishonest.



The author correctly has "the third" written with Roman numerals, that's the capital letter "I" three times. But it is preposterous to give a capital "I" the ASCII value of "1" as he does. In "BILL," he gives capital "I" the correct ASCII value of 73. Thus, 663 plus 3 x 73 = 882, not 666!


http://insight2bp.homestead.com/025.html

They do so by capriciously distorting the classic Hebrew numerologies to fit their preconceived notions.

Numerals in Hebrew are represented by the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet, and for larger numbers, by five additional "compound" numbers. (I just now coined that usage of "compound." The correct word is "sofit.") Thus, the numeral "1" is represented by the glyph for the letter "aleph," "2" by "bet," and so on. Here are the first ten. You can find the rest and a fairly thorough yet understandable discussion at my link. I didn't see that the article mentions that Hebrew is read from right to left, so the numbers given as examples will seem to be backwards.

1 Aleph à
2 Bet á
3 Gimel â
4 Dalet ã
5 He ä
6 Vav å
7 Zayin æ
8 Het ç
9 Teth è
10 Yod é

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebrew_numerals

Gematria is a system of Hebrew numerology that finds hidden meanings in the numerical values of words and groups of words, including names. A great deal of scholarship, particularly in the medieval period, has been applied to sacred writings in the attempt to unravel their mysteries, if there in fact be any, as I'm inclined to believe there are. In English and other modern languages, we do not use letters for numerals as the Romans, Greeks, and Jews did. Therefore I fail to see the assigning of numerical values to the names of modern personages as a valid exercise.

For an example of classic gematria in a rabbinical sermon, read "The Chosen" by Chaim Potok. For an example, in my opinion, of distortion for the sake of sensationalism and gain, read "The Bible Code" by Michael Drosnin.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gematria

To be more specific,

"Everybody and his brother have attempted to "count the number of the beast". Of course, because the English alphabet contains both numbers and letters, gematria does not actually exist. Since it doesn't exist in the English alphabet — make one up! And that's exactly what many "666 counters" do. Some have claimed that Hitler "counted" to 666. How did they get 666 from Hitler. Simple. They start with A = 100, then B = 101 et al.

H = 107
I = 108
T = 119
L = 111
E = 104
R = 117
666

What logic starts A with 100? The logic to MAKE Hitler the antichrist!"

Find more under WHAT ABOUT "COUNTING THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST"? near the bottom of

http://www.av1611.org/666/whatis.html