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The Sanskrit roots Uy/ve is an old Rgvedic root meaning (and related to cognates for) to weave together, e.g. to make a cover, but with metaphoric uses extending to weaving together a speech or prayer. veNu related to that means a reed or cane or bamboo (probably as materials woven together) but also flute (probably because flutes were made from bamboo). In modern Indian languages, the meaning flute is the only one that has survived for the word veNu. veNu itself has often been used as a (male) name in ancient India, but today it is used in compound names to evoke the flute-playing, enthralling and playful, naughty and mischievous, young cowherd Krishna ('dark') whose risque dalliances with the village girls and women forms the basis of many an Indian ballad, and who was syncretically identified with ViSNu ('worker'), the protector of the universe very early in the development of classical Hinduism.

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veNumatI is a name in that vein: the only attested meaning of the word in Sanskrit is 'one with bamboo', and in ancient times has been used as the name of a river (the male form, similarly, has been used to name a mountain, but also as a personal name). But, of course, its use as a name is probably more connected to 'one with the flute', the instrument of choice for young love and wooing.

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In South Indian transcription, the word is spelt Venumathi in the Latin script. Actually, the V is a labiodental, the n is a retroflex, and the -th- is an unvoiced, unaspirated, dental. The -e- and the -i- are long, whereas the -a- is a short schwa.