UK boy's name
Kenil
A masculine name of South Asian origin meaning "lotus flower".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2018. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Kenil is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Kenil popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2018 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4749, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2018, with 3 births.
This profile covers 3 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 2018 to 2018. 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.
Kenil is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 3 living people in the UK are called Kenil. 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 2019 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Kenil ranked #4749 for boys in England and Wales in 2018, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2018, when 3 boys were registered as Kenil.
- • About 3 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kenil as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4749
2018
Births in 2018
3
Latest year
Peak year
2018
3 births
Estimated living
3
2026
Meaning
What does Kenil mean?
The name Kenil has its origins in the Sanskrit language, which is one of the oldest Indo-Aryan languages spoken in the Indian subcontinent. It is believed to have emerged around the 2nd millennium BCE during the Vedic period. The name Kenil is derived from the Sanskrit word "Keni," which means "water stream" or "river," and the suffix "la," which signifies "possessing" or "abounding in." Consequently, the name Kenil can be interpreted as "one who possesses or abounds in water streams or rivers."
In ancient Hindu scriptures, such as the Vedas and Puranas, there are references to rivers and water bodies as sacred entities. The name Kenil may have been inspired by this reverence for water sources, which were integral to the agrarian societies of ancient India.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kenil can be found in the Mahabharata, an ancient Indian epic composed around the 8th century BCE. In this text, Kenil is mentioned as the name of a warrior who fought alongside the Pandavas in the great battle of Kurukshetra.
Throughout history, several individuals have borne the name Kenil. One notable figure was Kenil Desai (1912-1985), an Indian independence activist and politician who served as a member of the Constituent Assembly of India and later became a member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament.
Another prominent individual with the name Kenil was Kenil Vora (1924-2003), an Indian industrialist and philanthropist who founded Vora Silica, a leading manufacturer of silica sand and other industrial minerals. He was also known for his contributions to educational institutions and social welfare organizations.
In the field of literature, Kenil Kavi (1930-1998) was a renowned Gujarati poet and writer who received several prestigious awards, including the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Padma Shri, for his contributions to Gujarati literature.
In the world of sports, Kenil Naik (born 1985) is a notable Indian cricketer who has represented Mumbai in domestic cricket tournaments and played for various Indian Premier League (IPL) teams.
Lastly, Kenil Gandhi (born 1992) is an Indian entrepreneur and social activist who founded the Naazish Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering underprivileged communities through education and skill development programs.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Decades
Kenil by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kenil 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 | #4749 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Kenil
- Kieran 30,429
- Kyle 28,463
- Kai 24,432
- Kian 17,666
- Kayden 8,305
- Kevin 7,927
- Kane 7,149
- Kaiden 5,762
- Kieron 4,547
- Kacper 4,366
- Kye 4,012
- Kit 3,529
FAQ
Kenil: questions and answers
How popular is the name Kenil in the UK right now?
In 2018, Kenil was ranked #4749 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Kenil most popular?
The peak year on record was 2018, with 3 babies registered as Kenil in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Kenil?
A masculine name of South Asian origin meaning "lotus flower".
How many people are called Kenil in the UK?
A total of 3 babies have been registered as Kenil across the 1 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.