The 12-kilometre long Marina Beach forms the city's east coast and is one of the longest beaches in the world. The city is known for its sport venues and hosts India's only ATP tennis event, the Chennai Open. The name Madras is derived from Madraspatnam, the site chosen by the British East India Company for a permanent settlement in 1639.The region is called by different names as madrapupatnam, madras kuppam, madraspatnam, and madirazpatnam by locals.It is difficult to find exact boundaries of so-called madraspatnam before the arrival of British. Another small town, Chennapatnam, lay to the south of it.This place is named so by Damerla Venkatadri Nayakudu,Nayak of Wandiwash in remembrance of his father Damerla Chennappa Nayakudu.He is local governor for the last Raja of Chandragiri, Sri Ranga Raya VI of Vijayanagara Empire. In due course the two towns were merged, and the term Madras was favoured by the British. But locals used to refer it as Chennapatnam or Chennapuri.

The word Chenna is a Dravidian word and it seems to be originated from a Telugu word Chennu meaning beautiful.The city was renamed Chennai in August 1996 as the name Madras was perceived to be of Portuguese origin. It is believed that the original Portuguese name is Madre de Sois, named after a Portuguese high authority who was one among the early settlers in 1500. There have been suggestions though that Chennai may not be a Tamil name while Madras may be of Tamil origin.