Kerala Officially Renamed ‘Keralam’ As Union Government Approves Name Change; Know Its Ancient Roots Linked To The Chera Dynasty

· Free Press Journal

Kerala has officially been renamed ‘Keralam’ after the Union Government approved the state’s long-pending proposal to change its name with effect from August 25 after the Union Home Ministry notified the new name of the southern state and brought the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Act, 2026 into force. The notification comes just ahead of Onam, which is the traditional harvest festival of Kerala and one of the state’s most widely celebrated festivals. The move restores the state’s traditional Malayalam name, ‘Keralam’, which has deep historical and cultural roots. Let's deep dive into it.

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Not Kerala, it’s Keralam now

Union Home Ministry officially notifies Keralam as the new name of the southern state of Kerala, with the change coming into effect from August 25.

The notification follows the passage of the Kerala Alteration of Name Bill in the Lok Sabha on August 11 and the Rajya Sabha on August 12. President Droupadi Murmu earlier gave assent to the Bill, turning it into law. The gazette notification was issued on Tuesday on August 25, one day before Onam. The Home Ministry said "In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (2) of Section 1 of the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Act, 2026, the Central government hereby appoints the 25th day of August, 2026, as the date on which the provisions of the said Act shall come into force.”

Keralam links to Chera dynasty

The name change has been associated with Kerala’s Malayalam identity and its ancient history. The term ‘Keralam’ is believed to have links with the ancient Chera dynasty, which ruled large parts of present-day Kerala and neighbouring regions.

The Cheras were one of the prominent dynasties of ancient southern India and played an important role in shaping the region’s political, cultural and trade history. In ancient inscriptions, they were referred to as the Keralaputra. The term Kerala was first epigraphically recorded in the 3rd-century BCE rock inscription by Mauryan emperor Ashoka. Over centuries, "Keralaputra" evolved into "Kerala."

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Connections with Kera

The word ‘Keralam’ is also believed to have linguistic connections with ‘Kera’, the Malayalam word for coconut, which reflects Kerala’s long association with coconut trees and its distinctive landscape. However, historians and linguists have suggested different interpretations of the name’s origin.

The state is commonly known as Kerala in English, while Keralam has traditionally been used in Malayalam. The demand to officially adopt ‘Keralam’ has therefore been viewed as an effort to recognise the state’s linguistic heritage and historical identity.

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