Nilesh (sometimes also spelled as Neelesh) is a Hindi name based on one of two deities, Vishnu or Shiva, in Hinduism, depending on which of its two Hindi pronunciations are used. 'Nilesh' means 'the Blue God', and is one of the alternate names for Vishnu, "The Preserver." Later, the name was also used to refer to Shiva, "The Destroyer of Evil", "The King." The name is a combination (sandhi) of two words: Neel ("blue") and Ish ("Lord" or "God"). Ish or Esh is also a Sanskrit word for head. Hence, the name can also be interpreted as 'Blue Head,' which refers to Lord Vishnu.
Nilesh also refers to a third deity: Krishna. Krishna is also referred to as the Blue God because of the darker skin which is always displayed in pictures and statues as the blue colour.
Notable persons with this name include: