UK name, mostly boys
Sandeep
A masculine Indian name meaning "shining light" or "lustrous".
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.
Also recorded as a girls' name in the UK, with 104 girls.
Sandeep is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Sandeep 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 1996, with 25 births.
This profile covers 170 England and Wales registrations across 17 recorded years from 1996 to 2018. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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 12% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 193 living people in the UK are called Sandeep. 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
- • Sandeep ranked #4749 for boys in England and Wales in 2018, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 25 boys were registered as Sandeep.
- • Sandeep ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #370 in 1991.
- • Sandeep is also recorded for girls, but the boys side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 193 living people in the UK are estimated to have Sandeep as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 62.0% of Sandeep registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4749
2018
Births in 2018
3
Latest year
Peak year
1996
25 births
Estimated living
193
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Sandeep
In England and Wales birth records, Sandeep has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 62.0% of registrations are for boys and 38.0% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Sandeep registered for boys
- Ranked #4,749 in 2018
- 3 boys registered in 2018
- Peak: 1996 (25 births)
Sandeep registered for girls
- Ranked #3,549 in 2011
- 6 girls registered in 2011
- Peak: 1998 (12 births)
Meaning
What does Sandeep mean?
The name Sandeep has its origins in the Sanskrit language, which is one of the oldest Indo-Aryan languages spoken in ancient India and the liturgical language of Hinduism. The name is derived from the Sanskrit words "san" meaning "praise" and "deep" meaning "light" or "lamp." Thus, Sandeep can be interpreted as "the one who praises light" or "the one who illuminates."
In ancient Hindu texts and scriptures, the word "deep" is often used symbolically to represent knowledge, wisdom, and enlightenment. As such, the name Sandeep carries a spiritual connotation, reflecting the idea of praising or seeking knowledge and enlightenment. This association with light and wisdom has made the name popular among Hindus, particularly in the northern regions of India.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sandeep can be found in the ancient Indian epic, the Mahabharata, where it was mentioned as the name of a warrior. However, the name did not gain widespread popularity until the medieval period, particularly in the northern Indian states of Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Sandeep. One of the most famous is Sandeep Patil, an Indian cricketer who played for the Indian national team in the 1980s and 1990s. He was born in 1956 and is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in Indian cricket history.
Another prominent figure with the name Sandeep is Sandeep Nahar, an Indian actor and model who appeared in several Bollywood films and television shows. He was born in 1981 and achieved recognition for his roles in films like "Ms. Dhoni: The Untold Story" and "Kesari."
In the field of literature, Sandeep Balakrishna is a renowned Indian author and poet. Born in 1961, he has written several critically acclaimed books and has received numerous awards and accolades for his literary contributions.
Sandeep Dikshit, born in 1945, is a prominent Indian politician and former member of the Indian National Congress party. He served as a member of the Indian Parliament and held various ministerial positions in the government of India.
Lastly, Sandeep Joshi is an Indian classical dancer and choreographer who has made significant contributions to the field of Kathak, one of the eight major classical dance forms of India. He was born in 1967 and has received numerous awards and honors for his artistic achievements.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Sandeep over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Sandeep in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2018. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Sandeep, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2018, compared with 25 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sandeep by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Sandeep 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 | #4214 | 16 | 4 |
| 2000s | #2005 | 87 | 9 |
| 1990s | #938 | 67 | 4 |
Geography
Where Sandeep is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Sandeep. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Sandeep ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #370 in 1991.
Across the UK
Sandeep in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#370 in 1991
7 years of NRS records, 25 total registered
Related
Names similar to Sandeep
- Samuel 108,505
- Sebastian 33,008
- Sam 20,889
- Stanley 16,354
- Sonny 15,028
- Sean 15,006
- Scott 12,587
- Seth 9,841
- Syed 9,050
- Stephen 8,884
- Spencer 8,333
- Steven 6,970
FAQ
Sandeep: questions and answers
How popular is the name Sandeep in the UK right now?
In 2018, Sandeep was ranked #4749 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Sandeep most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 25 babies registered as Sandeep in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Sandeep?
A masculine Indian name meaning "shining light" or "lustrous".
How many people are called Sandeep in the UK?
A total of 170 babies have been registered as Sandeep across the 17 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 25 more in Scotland.
Where is Sandeep most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Sandeep ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #370 in 1991. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.