Kenil first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Kenil has been for the last 10 years (from 2014 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Kenil

A masculine name of South Asian origin meaning "lotus flower".

Popularity of Kenil by gender

Based on the last 10 years of data, Kenil is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 7 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Kenil.

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 7 0
2020 5 0
2019 5 0
2014 5 0

The history of the first name Kenil

The name Kenil has its origins in the Sanskrit language, which is one of the oldest Indo-Aryan languages spoken in the Indian subcontinent. It is believed to have emerged around the 2nd millennium BCE during the Vedic period. The name Kenil is derived from the Sanskrit word "Keni," which means "water stream" or "river," and the suffix "la," which signifies "possessing" or "abounding in." Consequently, the name Kenil can be interpreted as "one who possesses or abounds in water streams or rivers."

In ancient Hindu scriptures, such as the Vedas and Puranas, there are references to rivers and water bodies as sacred entities. The name Kenil may have been inspired by this reverence for water sources, which were integral to the agrarian societies of ancient India.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kenil can be found in the Mahabharata, an ancient Indian epic composed around the 8th century BCE. In this text, Kenil is mentioned as the name of a warrior who fought alongside the Pandavas in the great battle of Kurukshetra.

Throughout history, several individuals have borne the name Kenil. One notable figure was Kenil Desai (1912-1985), an Indian independence activist and politician who served as a member of the Constituent Assembly of India and later became a member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament.

Another prominent individual with the name Kenil was Kenil Vora (1924-2003), an Indian industrialist and philanthropist who founded Vora Silica, a leading manufacturer of silica sand and other industrial minerals. He was also known for his contributions to educational institutions and social welfare organizations.

In the field of literature, Kenil Kavi (1930-1998) was a renowned Gujarati poet and writer who received several prestigious awards, including the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Padma Shri, for his contributions to Gujarati literature.

In the world of sports, Kenil Naik (born 1985) is a notable Indian cricketer who has represented Mumbai in domestic cricket tournaments and played for various Indian Premier League (IPL) teams.

Lastly, Kenil Gandhi (born 1992) is an Indian entrepreneur and social activist who founded the Naazish Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering underprivileged communities through education and skill development programs.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Kenil was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Kenil, please contact us.

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"Kenil first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on May 3, 2025. http://namecensus.com/first-names/kenil-meaning-and-history/.

"Kenil first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/kenil-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 3 May, 2025

Kenil first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/kenil-meaning-and-history/.

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