Some believe that the name
Pattani originated from Malay name
Patani (
Jawi: ڤطاني), which can mean "this beach" in
Pattani Malay language. (In standard Malay, this would be
pantai ini.) According to a legend, the founder of Pattani was a raja from Kota Malikha named Phaya Tunakpa. Phaya Tunakpa went hunting one day and saw a beautiful albino
mouse-deer the size of a goat, which then disappeared. He asked his men where the animal had gone, and they replied: "Pata ning lah!" ("This beach!" in the
Pattani Malay language). They searched for the mouse-deer but found instead an old couple, where the old man identified himself as Che' Tani ("Mister Tani"). The old man said that he was sent by the raja's grandfather to build a new town further beyond but had fallen ill on the journey; as he could not go any further, he stayed at that place. The raja then ordered a town be built at the site where the mouse-deer had disappeared. The town became Patani, which is believed to be named either after "this beach" where the mouse-deer had disappeared. Alternatively, it has also been said to be named after the old man as Pak Tani meaning "Father Tani". Some also say the word Pattani is derived from "Petani" in
Malay which means "farmer". Another suggestion is that it derives from a
Sanskrit word
pathini, meaning "virgin nymph";
Pathini is also said to be the title of a daughter of
Merong Mahawangsa, founder of the preceding kingdom of
Langkasuka. ==History==