The term "Knānāya" derives from the name Knāi Thoma (anglicized as Thomas of Cana), an important figure in the Saint Thomas Christian tradition. The term is derived from Thomas' Syriac adjectival epithet Knā'nāya in reference to the land of Canaan, meaning Canaanite. The earliest written record of the term used as a designation of the community dates to the 1800s, however notations of the term itself are found in Knanaya folk songs such as the song of the erection of Kallisserry Church in 1580. Additionally the term is also found translated as "Cananeo" in Bishop Francis Ros' text "MS. ADD. 9853" in 1604 and Portuguese historian Diogo Do Couto's text "Decada XII" in 1611. Members of the Knanaya Community are also generally called Knāi or Knā, in reference to Thomas. Many Knanaya families, especially those of the Kaduthuruthy region maintain the surname Kinān, a derivative of Thomas' epithet. Woman of these families preserve gendered forms of the term, examples of this being Kināti Anna, Kināti Mariam, etc.