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.
According to Alf Hiltebeitel, the origin of the caste name lies in the Sanskrit word "vahni," which he believes is connected to the Tamil word "vanni" (fire) and its significance as a Tamil name for a crucial tree.