Mayan Origin Names - Behind the Name

Awilix f Mayan Mythology
Meaning uncertain, possibly from a place name Awilizapan, or possibly from a Q'eqchi' Maya word meaning "swallow (bird)". This was the name of the K'iche' Maya goddess of the moon, night and death.

Balam m Mayan
Means "jaguar" in Mayan (Yucatec Maya báalam; K'iche' Maya balam).

Chaac m Mayan Mythology
From Classic Maya cháak meaning "rain". This was the name of the Maya god of the rain and storms.

Hunahpu m Mayan Mythology
Possibly means "one blowgunner", from Classic Maya jun "one" and puw "blowgun" (with the agentive prefix aj-). Hunahpu and his twin brother Xbalanque are the central characters of the Popol Vuh, the sacred book of the K'iche' Maya.

Itzamna m Mayan Mythology, Mayan
From Classic Maya itzam, an element found in the names of some Maya gods (possibly from itz "enchanted, nectar" and mam "grandfather"), combined with nah "great". Itzamna was the Maya creator god.

Itzel f Mayan
Meaning uncertain, possibly from Classic Maya itz meaning "resin, nectar, dew, liquid, enchanted". Otherwise, it might be a variant of Ixchel.

Ixchel f Mayan Mythology, Mayan
Possibly means "rainbow lady", from Classic Maya ix "lady" and chel "rainbow". Ixchel was a Maya goddess associated with the earth, jaguars, medicine and childbirth. She was often depicted with a snake in her hair and crossbones embroidered on her skirt.

K'awiil m Mayan Mythology
Variant of K'awil.

K'awil m Mayan Mythology
Possibly means "powerful one" in Classic Maya. This was the name of the Maya god of lightning, generations and corn. He was sometimes depicted with one of his legs taking the form of a serpent. His name was also used as a title for other gods.

K'inich m Mayan Mythology
Means "hot, sunny" in Classic Maya, derived from k'in "sun". K'inich Ajaw (ajaw meaning "king, lord") was the Maya god of the sun. K'inich was commonly used as an element in the names of Maya royalty.

Kinich m Mayan Mythology
Variant of K'inich.

K'uk'ulkan m Mayan Mythology
Means "feathered serpent", from Classic Maya k'uk' "quetzal, quetzal feather" and kaan "serpent, snake". This was the name of a snake god in Maya mythology, roughly equivalent to the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl. This is the Yucatec Maya form — the K'iche' name is Q'uq'umatz (which is only partially cognate).

Kukulkan m Mayan Mythology
Variant of K'uk'ulkan.

Nicte f Mayan (Hispanicized)
From Yucatec Maya nikte' meaning "flower" or specifically "plumeria flower". It is derived from Classic Maya nich "flower" and te' "tree".

Q'uq'umatz m Mayan Mythology
Means "feathered serpent", from K'iche' Maya q'uq' "quetzal, quetzal feather" and kumatz "serpent, snake". This was the K'iche' equivalent of the Yucatec Maya god K'uk'ulkan, though the final element is derived from a different root.

Sacnicte f Mayan (Hispanicized)
Means "white plumeria flower", from Yucatec Maya sak "white" and nikte' "plumeria flower".

Sacnite f Mayan (Hispanicized)
Variant of Sacnicte.

Tohil m Mayan Mythology
Possibly from Classic Maya tojol meaning "tribute". This was the name of a K'iche' Maya fire god.

Xbalanque m Mayan Mythology
Possibly from Classic Maya balam "jaguar" and k'in "sun" or kej "deer". In the Popol Vuh, the sacred book of the K'iche' Maya, Xbalanque and his twin brother Hunahpu avenge their father's death at the hands of the underworld gods.

Xquic f Mayan Mythology
Means "lady blood", from Classic Maya ix "lady" and k'ik' "blood". In K'iche' Maya legend this was the name of the mother of Xbalanque and Hunahpu.

Yatzil f Mayan
Means "love, mercy, charity" in Yucatec Maya.

Yaxkin f & m Mayan
From Yaxk'in, the name of the seventh month in the Maya calendar, derived from Classic Maya yax "green, first" and k'in "sun, day".

Zazil f Mayan
Means "clear, light, clarity" in Yucatec Maya. Zazil Há was a 16th-century Maya woman who married the Spanish shipwreck survivor Gonzalo Guerrero.

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