According to legend Parashurama, the avatar of Vishnu, retrieved this place from the sea by throwing his axe into the sea. The sea fell back to the place where his axe fell. Hence this place is also called Parshurama Kshetra.
According to Historian Severino da Silva in his book History of Christianity in Canara vol. I, he mentioned that ancient names for this region are Kol Kannam (Tamil: no man's land) or Parashuram Srashti (creation of Parashuram). According to Mr. Severine Silva, a former advocate at Karwarand Stephen Fuchs author of the work The Marriage Customs of the Christians in South Canara, India The name Canara is the invention ofEuropean traders (Portuguese, Dutch and English) who for the purpose of trade came to this tract from the early 16th century onwards. TheBednore Dynasty, under whose rule this tract was at that time, was known to them as the Kannada Dynasty, i.e., the dynasty speaking theKannada language. The letter 'd' being always pronounced like 'r' by the Europeans, the district was named by them Kanara (or Kannada). This name was retained by the British after their occupation of the district in 1799, and ever since this name has remained. However according to them the controversy over the meaning of the place-name 'Canara' does not end with this explanation. It is a complicated question which cannot be discussed here
[IMAGE via Akrura]
