Anila
A feminine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "air" or "wind".
Name Census estimates that about 563 living Americans carry the first name Anila. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Anila today is around 16 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Anila births was 2009 (29 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Anila. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
563
~ 1 in 608,800 Americans
Peak year
2009
29 babies that year
Average age
16
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,618
Tracked since 1979
Popularity
Anila: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Anila from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 236 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Anila remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Anila by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Anila during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Anilas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Anila
The name Anila is derived from the Sanskrit word "Anila," which means "wind" or "air." This name has its roots in ancient Indian culture and mythology, where it was often associated with the wind god, Vayu.
In Hindu mythology, Vayu, the god of wind, was considered one of the most powerful deities. He was revered for his ability to bring life-giving breeze and facilitate the movement of clouds, which brought rain for agriculture. The name Anila, being closely tied to the wind element, was often given to children with the hope that they would possess strength, vigor, and a free-spirited nature.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Anila can be found in the ancient Sanskrit epic, the Mahabharata. In this epic, Anila is described as a powerful and swift wind that aided the Pandava brothers in their battles against their cousins, the Kauravas.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Anila. One such figure was Anila Devi (1905-1968), a prominent Indian freedom fighter and social activist who played a crucial role in the Indian independence movement. She was known for her unwavering commitment to women's empowerment and her tireless efforts to uplift the underprivileged.
Another notable Anila was Anila Kaushik (1944-2015), a renowned Indian classical dancer and choreographer. She was widely celebrated for her mastery of the Kathak dance form and her contributions to preserving and promoting Indian classical dance on a global stage.
In the realm of literature, Anila Wilcox (1930-2005) was a celebrated Australian author and poet. Her works often explored themes of identity, migration, and the experiences of women in a multicultural society. She was awarded the prestigious Patrick White Award for her contributions to Australian literature.
Anila Quayyum Agha (born 1965) is a contemporary Pakistani-American artist known for her large-scale installations that explore themes of light, shadow, and Islamic architectural motifs. Her work has been exhibited in prestigious galleries and museums around the world, earning her international acclaim.
Finally, Anila Khanzada (born 1958) is a Pakistani politician and women's rights activist. She has served as a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan and has been a vocal advocate for women's empowerment, education, and social justice.
People
Anila + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Anila as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with A
Other first names starting with A with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Anila: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Anila?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 563 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Anila going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 608,800 US residents.
Is Anila a common name?
We classify Anila as "Very Rare". It ranks above 85.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 571 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Anila most popular?
The single biggest year for Anila was 2009, when 29 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Anila is about 16 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Anila a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Anila in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.