Where does “കോട്ടയം” come from?

കോട്ടയം (Malayalam) comes from Malayalam അകം, from Sanskrit अक, from Proto-Indo-Aryan *ákas.

Ancestry of “കോട്ടയം”, step by step

കോട്ടയം traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Malayalam അകം

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Malayalamഅകംinside
2Sanskritअकpain, unhappiness
3Proto-Indo-Aryan*ákas

via Malayalam കോട്ട

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Malayalamകോട്ടfort

Words derived from “കോട്ടയം

Every word from Proto-Indo-Aryan *ákasEvery word from Sanskrit अकEvery word from Malayalam അകം