"MALA-BAAR"

First part of the word Malabar, ie; “MALA” is of Dravidian origin. MALA means mountains or hills and the second part ”BAR” is probably of Arabic Origin. BAR in Arabic means continent. So MALABAR as a whole is the Land of mountains or hills, a name well suited for its physical features. [Quoted according to William Logan (1887)]