NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Aneil

A Hindu masculine name derived from Sanskrit meaning "bright" or "pure".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2017. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Aneil is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Aneil popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2017 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4812, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 8 births.

This profile covers 16 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 1996 to 2017. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 38% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 16 living people in the UK are called Aneil. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2018 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Aneil ranked #4812 for boys in England and Wales in 2017, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1996, when 8 boys were registered as Aneil.
  • About 16 living people in the UK are estimated to have Aneil as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4812

2017

Births in 2017

3

Latest year

Peak year

1996

8 births

Estimated living

16

2026

Meaning

What does Aneil mean?

The name Aneil has its origins in the Sanskrit language, which is one of the oldest Indo-Aryan languages spoken in ancient India. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "anil," meaning "wind" or "breath." It is believed to have been in use since the Vedic period, which spanned from around 1500 BCE to 500 BCE.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Aneil can be found in the Rigveda, which is a collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns composed between 1500 BCE and 1000 BCE. The name appears in the form of "Anila," which is a variation of Aneil and also means "wind" or "breath."

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Aneil. One of the earliest known figures was Aneil Bhattacharyya, a Bengali philosopher and scholar who lived in the 16th century. He was renowned for his contribution to the study of logic and epistemology.

Another prominent figure was Aneil Mallick, a 17th-century Bengali poet and playwright. He is credited with popularizing the genre of Kavigan, which is a form of narrative poetry that combines elements of storytelling and music.

In the 19th century, Aneil Ghosh was a Bengali writer and social reformer who played a significant role in the Bengal Renaissance. He advocated for women's education and worked towards eradicating social evils like child marriage and the practice of Sati.

In the realm of sports, Aneil Kulkarni was an Indian cricketer who played domestic cricket for Mumbai in the late 20th century. He represented Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy and other domestic tournaments between 1995 and 2004.

More recently, Aneil Kurap was an Indian entrepreneur and philanthropist who founded the non-profit organization Kailash Satyarthi Children's Foundation, which works towards the eradication of child labor and promotion of child rights. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014, along with Kailash Satyarthi, for their efforts in this cause.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Aneil over time

The chart below shows babies named Aneil registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2017. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Aneil, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2017, compared with 8 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Aneil
02468199620062017

Decades

Aneil by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Aneil was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2010s #4812 3 1
2000s #2220 5 1
1990s #1458 8 1

Related

Names similar to Aneil

FAQ

Aneil: questions and answers

How popular is the name Aneil in the UK right now?

In 2017, Aneil was ranked #4812 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Aneil most popular?

The peak year on record was 1996, with 8 babies registered as Aneil in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Aneil?

A Hindu masculine name derived from Sanskrit meaning "bright" or "pure".

How many people are called Aneil in the UK?

A total of 16 babies have been registered as Aneil across the 3 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.