Where does “तामीळनाडू” come from?

तामीळनाडू (Konkani) comes from Konkani नाड, from Kannada ನಾಡು, from Old Kannada ನಾಟ, from Proto-Dravidian nāṭu — state, province, district, kingdom.

Ancestry of “तामीळनाडू”, step by step

तामीळनाडू traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Konkani नाड

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Konkaniनाडvillage
2Kannadaನಾಡುland
3Old Kannadaನಾಟland
4Proto-Dravidiannāṭustate, province, district, kingdom

via Tamil தமிழ்நாடு

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Tamilதமிழ்நாடுthe Tamil speaking lands as a whole
2Tamilதமிழ்Tamil
3Old Tamil𑀢𑀫𑀺𑀵𑁰Tamil
Every word from Proto-Dravidian nāṭu →Every word from Old Kannada ನಾಟ →Every word from Kannada ನಾಡು →