The first name Sunil
A boy’s name from Sanskrit meaning “very black”, “blue”, “dark”.
2 syllables Male
Meaning and origin
Sanskrit origin
Sunil means “very black”, “blue”, “dark” in Sanskrit.
From Sanskrit सुनील (sunīla, “very black or blue, dark”); ultimately from सु (su) + नील (nīla).
More names that mean black.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
Sunil last appeared in the official list in 2010, given to 5 boys. It peaked in 1996, with 26 births (#620).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Sunil with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Sunil at birth, 1880–2025
In 2019, 6 boys born in the United States were named Sunil, the 11,952nd most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1979, when 42 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Sunil in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Sunil in French, Italian and Spanish too.
Nicknames and spellings
Nicknames for Sunil
Famous people named Sunil
3 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Sunil MittalBusinessperson, born 1957
- Sunil GangopadhyayAward-winning and bestselling Bengali poet and author (1934-2012)
- Sunil Arora23rd Chief Election Commissioner of India, born 1956
More Sanskrit boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Sunil mean?
- Sunil means “very black”, “blue”, “dark” in Sanskrit.
- What is the origin of the name Sunil?
- From Sanskrit सुनील (sunīla, “very black or blue, dark”); ultimately from सु (su) + नील (nīla).
- How popular is the name Sunil?
- In 2010, 5 boys born in England and Wales were named Sunil, ranking 3,332nd. Its peak was 1996, with 26 births.
- What are nicknames for Sunil?
- Common nicknames for Sunil include Sunny.
- Is Sunil a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 989 US babies named Sunil since 1880 were boys.
- When was Sunil most popular?
- 1979 in the United States, when 42 babies were named Sunil, its highest rank at 1,461st.