nAma

[Vasudha Narayanan]

The Journal of Vaisnava Studies (vol. 2/ no. 2, spring 1994) is a special
issue with a focus on "The Power of the Holy Name."  Bill Jackson
(wjackson at indyunix.iupui.edu), Professor of Religion at Indiana Univ. at
Indianapolis (who has an article in this volume) has worked also on the
saints of the Kaveri Delta. He was very interested in Namasiddhanta issues
about 10 years ago and I think he wrote a couple of articles then.  
On the issue of local deities having 108 names-- I'm not sure what kind of
"local" you had in mind; some local goddesses (Chellattamman, Nagattamman et
al) do not as far as I know have 108 names, but local Visnus (Kanchi
Varadaraja, for instance) and local Lakshmis do.  Occasionally, when the
local Amman gets prominent (and gets Brahmanized and Sanskritized in the
process), she acquires these names.
Best wishes, Vasudha