The Coconut is believed to have gotten its name in the 16th Century, in Portuguese ‘Coco’ means ‘Monkey face’. This is because the three holes found at the base of the coconut have a resemblance to monkey’s facial features.
The modern coconut as we know, known to have existed during the Eocene Period (37 to 57 millions years ago) which was found in India and Australia. However, the origin of the coconut plant is the subject of debate since some scientific research suggests an Indo-Pacific origin (Pacific Ocean or Indian Ocean). While others see the origin in north western South America since the ‘Nipa’ fruit which is one example of an older palm fossil that has been found in the Americas.
