Etymology
Nagapattinam is derived from Nagar referring to people from Sri Lanka who settled here and pattinam referring to town. The town was also called Cholakula Vallipattinam during the Chola period, when it was one of the important ports. Ptolemy refers to Nagapattinam as Nikam and mentions it as one of the most important trade centres of the ancient Tamil country. This view is doubtful as there are no contemporary evidences to prove the existence of the town as a metropolis in the name of "Nikama" or "Nikam". Nagapattinam was referred by early writers and the Portuguese as "the city of Coromandel". Appar and Tirugnanasambandar, the 7th century saint poets refer the city as Nagai in their verses in Tevaram. The town was originally called "Nagai" and the word Pattinam was attached during the Chola era when the town emerged as an important port.
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