Karnataka

Origin

Borrowed from Kannada ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ (karnāṭaka). Though several etymologies have been suggested for the name Karnataka, the generally accepted one is that Karnataka is derived from Kannada ಕರು (karu, “elevated”) and ನಾಡು (nāḍu, “land”). ಕರುನಾಡು (karunāḍu) may also be read as "black region", as a reference to the black soil found in the Bayalu Seeme region of the state.