Kerala, also known as the “God’s Own Country,” is a vibrant state in India known for its lush tropical beauty, pristine beaches, and ornate temples is the 13th most populous state in India.
The Union Cabinet approved the proposal to change Kerala's name to Keralam on 24th February 2026. The process was initiated by a petition filed by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in 2023 and then again in 2024. The name change is to be carried out in accordance with the directives of Article 3 of the Indian Constitution.
Let’s explore the various old names by which Kerala was known throughout the ages.
List of all Indian States & UTs whose Name is Changed [1950-2026]
Old Name of Kerala
The earliest historical reference to Kerala dates back to the 3rd century BCE. In Rock Edict II of the great Mauryan Emperor Ashoka (inscribed circa 257 BCE), the region where the modern-day Kerala is situated is explicitly referred to as Keralaputra (Sanskrit for "Son of Kerala" or "Son of Chera").
Further, the Ashoka edict lists Keralaputra as an independent border kingdom to exist alongside other prominent southern empires like the Cholas, Pandyas, and Satyaputras.
Source: Pertrus Bertius
Historically, the present-day Kerala was ruled by the Chera Dynasty, which ruled from the 4th Century BCE to the 12th Century BCE. The Chera Dynasty was one of the three Sangam Age Powers, along with the Cholas and the Pandyas.
Scholars believe that the name of Kerala has etymologically evolved from Cheralam, where Chera refers to the Chera Dynasty, and alam refers to the land. Over the ages, with linguistic shifts, the word Cheralam morphed into Kerala.
As Kerala was the center of the spice trade in ancient times, there have been records in Greek and Roman records about Kerala, where Pliny the Elder referred to Kerala as Celobothras or Keprobotras, which is understood to be a Greco-Roman corruption of the Sanskrit term Keralaputra.
In later times, Arabian and Persian traders who performed the black pepper trade with Kerala, termed the landmass as Malabar, which is a combination of two words: Mala, meaning hills, and bar, meaning coastal land. Therefore, Malabar meant hilly coastal land.
To conclude, there are many old names of Kerala, such as Keralaputra, Cheralam, and Malabar. Keralaputra is the oldest among them, as verified by the Ashoka Rock Edicts.
List of all Chief Ministers of Kerala (1957-2026)
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