Sunil

A boy's name of Sanskrit origin with 989 recorded U.S. births.

Boy's nameRare nameNot ranked recently

Meaning & Origin

A male given name from Sanskrit.

Sunil is a boy's baby name of Sanskrit origin, composed of the Sanskrit prefix su- (good, well, beautiful) and nīla (blue, dark blue), meaning 'very blue' or 'sapphire.' The name evokes the deep blue of the sky or the ocean.

Widely used across India and among the Indian diaspora worldwide, Sunil has a clean, two-syllable sound that travels easily across cultures. Actor Sunil Dutt was one of Bollywood's most beloved stars, helping cement the name's iconic status in Indian popular culture.

EtymologyShow more

Names travel. They cross oceans, change spelling, shift pronunciation, and accumulate new associations with each culture that adopts them. Sunil is rooted in the Sanskrit tradition, but its presence in American naming since 1962 means it has been shaped by English phonetics, local customs, and the cultural context of the families who chose it.

Sunil’s 989 recorded births suggest it has found a niche — possibly within a specific cultural community, region, or naming subculture within the broader American landscape.

At a Glance

Unranked

Current Rank

989

Total births

Since 1962

1979

Peak year

42 births

Compare Sunil with another name

Popularity Over Time

Sunil has 54+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1962.

First appeared: 1962Peak: 1979 (42 births)

Popularity by Decade

Decade-by-decade popularity data for Sunil
Decade	Births	Avg Rank	Trend
2010s	41	#11091	▼
2000s	95	#8471	▼
1990s	169	#4347	▼
1980s	285	#2185	—
1970s	300	#1727	▲
1960s	99	#2697	—

The Story of Sunil

A Gen X name

Peaking in 1979, Sunil is a Gen X staple. Boys named Sunil are most likely born between 1969 and 1989.

How rare is Sunil?

With 989 total births on record, Sunil remains a rare and distinctive pick.

The journey through the decades

First appeared in the records in 1962, peaked in the 1970s with 300 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.

Sunil by the numbers

Would fill 21 school buses
Meeting one Sunil per day would take 2.7 years

Year-by-Year Data

View complete yearly data(54 years, 1962–2019)

Year-by-year popularity data for the name Sunil
Year	Births	Rank	Change
2019	6	#11950	0
2016	6	#11954	0
2015	6	#11898	-4 (-40.0%)
2012	10	#8060	+4 (66.7%)
2011	6	#12075	-1 (-14.3%)
2010	7	#10609	-3 (-30.0%)
2009	10	#8226	+3 (42.9%)
2008	7	#10891	-1 (-12.5%)
2007	8	#9658	0
2006	8	#9456	+2 (33.3%)
2005	6	#11285	-1 (-14.3%)
2004	7	#9805	-3 (-30.0%)
2003	10	#7176	+2 (25.0%)
2002	8	#8340	-8 (-50.0%)
2001	16	#4860	+1 (6.7%)
2000	15	#5008	+2 (15.4%)
1999	13	#5278	-10 (-43.5%)
1998	23	#3378	+12 (109.1%)
1997	11	#5602	-1 (-8.3%)
1996	12	#5144	+4 (50.0%)

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sunil a boy's or girl's name?

Sunil is primarily a boy's name.

When was Sunil most popular?

Sunil reached its peak popularity in 1979 with 42 births that year. It is not currently in the top rankings.

How popular is the name Sunil?

Sunil is not currently in the top rankings but has been given to 989 babies in the U.S. since 1962. Its peak was in 1979.

Explore More

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Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1962–2019