Sunil
Sunil (सुनील) is a first name for males, often found in the South Asian community. The Sanskrit word sunīla means "dark", "very blue", and is also an epithet of Krishna.
- Hindi
- Marathi
- Bengali
- Assamese
Meaning & Origin of Sunil
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Sunil (सुनील) is a first name for males, often found in the South Asian community. The Sanskrit word sunīla means "dark", "very blue", and is also an epithet of Krishna.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Hindi
- Marathi
- Bengali
- Assamese
- Gujarati
- Punjabi
- Telugu
- Tamil
- Kannada
- Malayalam
- Nepali
The Story of Sunil
Sunil first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1962, with 9 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1979, when 42 Sunils were born — ranking #1,435 that year. As of 2026, Sunil ranks #10,798 for baby boys with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 989 Sunils have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Sunil
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Sunil (actor) , Indian Telugu film actor
- Sunil (Kannada actor) (1964-1994)
- Sunil (director) , Indian Malayalam film director
- Sunil Kumar Ahuja (born 1961), American scientist
- Sunil Ambwani (born 1952), Indian judge
- Sunil Ariyaratne (born 1949), Sri Lankan director, lyricist, poet and writer
- Sunil Barve (born 1966), Indian actor and producer
- Sunil Batta (born 1961), Indian cameraman, director, producer and scriptwriter
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Sunil
Phonetically similar names — useful when Sunil is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Sunil
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About the name Sunil
Sunil is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1962 and has accumulated 989 births in the dataset. Sunil's peak popularity came in 1979 when it ranked #1,435. Use the chart and map above to compare Sunil's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1979 →
- Names of the 1970s →
- Names starting with "S" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.