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. A translation of the epithet in reference to the community is found as “Parcialidad de Thome Cananeo” or “Thomas Canaanite Party” in Archbishop Franciso Ros' text MS. ADD. 9853 in 1603.The earliest written record of the Syriac form used in reference to the community dates to the 1800s.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.