Senad is of Bosnian origin, derived from the Bosnian Islamic form of Semen, meaning 'listening'. It is composed of the elements 'sema' meaning 'listen', and '-d', a suffix indicating a male child. The name Senad gained popularity in the Balkans during the 20th century, particularly among Bosnian Muslims. It has since been adopted by other communities as well.
The name Senad experienced a dip in popularity after 1998, with the number of births fluctuating between 5 and 6 annually until 2009.