Etymology
According to the local legend, once Vilwamangalam Swamiyar, the well known Kerala Hindu Saint, while travelling through Cherthala, found an idol of the Devi with its head immersed in a muddy pond. The swami understood the divinity of the idol, took it out from the mud, cleaned it and consecrated it in a temple near the pond. Thus the place is believed to have got its name as Cher means Mud and Thala means Head in Malayalam and the deity of the temple got the name as Cherthala Karthiyayani. The word put together means Head from the mud. Unlike in other Kerala temples, the idol of Cherthala Karthiyayani Devi is consecrated in the Sreekovil just below the ground level and cannot be directly viewed by the devotees.
There is another story that says that the former name was Karappuram and this part of land was gifted by the erstwhile State of Cochin to the erstwhile State of Travancore for protecting it from enemies. The place got its name as Chertha (joined) Thala (abutting land).
Read more about this topic: Cherthala
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