Alf Hiltebeitel suggests that the caste name derives from vahni, a Sanskrit word thought to be the root for the Tamil word vanni (fire), which is also a Tamil name for an important tree.
Alf Hiltebeitel proposes that the caste name originates from the Sanskrit word "vahni," which he believes is connected to the Tamil word "vanni" (fire) and its significance as a Tamil name for a significant tree.