Sanil first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Sanil has been for the last 23 years (from 1993 to 2015) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Sanil

A name of Indian origin meaning "having good thoughts or intentions".

Popularity of Sanil by gender

Based on the last 23 years of data, Sanil is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2015, there were 5 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Sanil.

Year Male Count Female Count
2015 5 0
2000 10 0
1999 5 0
1998 5 0
1994 6 0
1993 6 0

The history of the first name Sanil

The name Sanil is believed to have originated from the Sanskrit language, which is an ancient Indo-Aryan language that dates back to around the 2nd millennium BCE. It is thought to be derived from the Sanskrit word "sanila," which means "air" or "wind." This suggests that the name may have been associated with the natural elements or the concept of breath.

One of the earliest known references to the name Sanil can be found in ancient Hindu texts, such as the Vedas and the Puranas. These sacred scriptures contain stories and legends that often feature characters with symbolic names. However, the exact context and significance of the name Sanil within these texts is not widely documented.

The name Sanil has been used throughout history, although its popularity and prevalence have varied across different regions and cultures. Some notable individuals who have borne this name include:

  1. Sanil Shetty (born 1976), an Indian film actor and director known for his work in Kannada cinema.
  2. Sanil Mohite (born 1986), an Indian cricketer who has played domestic cricket for Maharashtra.
  3. Sanil Sankrityayan (1893-1963), an Indian polymath and scholar who made significant contributions to the fields of Buddhism, Sanskrit literature, and Tibetan studies.
  4. Sanil Shetty (born 1977), an Indian-American entrepreneur and co-founder of Rocketbaby, a mobile game development company.
  5. Sanil Kulkarni (born 1981), an Indian professional tennis player who has represented India in various international tournaments.

Despite its ancient roots and occasional historical references, the name Sanil has not achieved widespread popularity or recognition across various cultures and regions. However, it continues to be used as a given name, particularly in parts of India and among communities with Hindu or Indian heritage.

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 Sanil was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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"Sanil first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on August 3, 2025. http://namecensus.com/first-names/sanil-meaning-and-history/.

"Sanil first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/sanil-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 3 August, 2025

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

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