Sanela

Sanela is a South Slavic feminine name, most common among Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian speakers, derived from the root san, meaning dream or sleep in the South Slavic languages. It is essentially a feminized and elaborated form of that root, with the suffix -ela giving it a lyrical, softened quality typical of names coined or popularized during the twentieth century in the former Yugoslav region. The name is closely related to Sana and Sanija, which share the same dreamy connotation. Though not ancient in origin, Sanela gained steady popularity in Bosnia and Herzegovina and neighboring countries throughout the latter half of the twentieth century.