Taking on a Nawatl name (or a name in ANY Indigenous language which you are connected to) is a very noble and serious thing to do. The decision should be based on your desire to reclaim who you are as a Native person, and to be recognized as such by others. It is not some game or "cool" thing to do so that you may "play Indian" along with the new agers. Your name should be a proud reflection of who you are as a Native person, and reveal certain characteristics about yourself.

First of all, It is highly recommended that the time and effort be made to travel to Mexiko, find a Tonalpokeh who is able to provide your Tonalamatl and get your Nawatl name from them. However, it is entirely understood that not everyone has access, time or money to make this trip happen. Therefore, we have compiled the following information so that you can take on a Nawatl name with some reasonable structure in place.

Things you should do before taking on a Nawatl name:

1. - Take the time to develop a basic understanding of the traditional philosophy and cosmology of our people. A basic introduction to Anawak cosmology can be found BY CLICKING THIS LINK.

2. - Develop an understanding of the Nawatl language system so that you can pronounce your name correctly and know what it means. It does little good to have an Indigenous name and not be able to say it correctly or understand what it means. A basic introduction to the Nawatl language can be found BY CLICKING THIS LINK. Also, a comprehensive page of Nawatl language resources can be found BY CLICKING THIS LINK.

3. - Learn the history of our people. Not just by reading books, but by taking the time to analyze and interpret historical events so that the greater truth may be arrived at. It is not enough to simply read history books written by white men and accept what they say at face value. We must learn to question what we have been told. A page dealing with the need for a re-evaluation and critical interpretation of our history can be found BY CLICKING THIS LINK. A page of Mexikah history links can be found BY CLICKING THIS LINK.

Once you have taken the time to do these things, you should be able to select a Nawatl name which you feel reflects who you are as an individual and which shows your pride in being an Indigenous person. It is important that you not mix Nawatl and Spanish in your name, and that you do not take on names of great philisophical importance, as they were often TITLES of honor which were granted to our people after they had been EARNED. Names such as Ketzalkoatl, Witzilopochtli, Xipe-Totek, Tezkatlipoka, Ometoel, Ipalnemoani, etc. should be avoided for these reasons.

Also, the suffix TZIN is added to the end of names as a sign of love and respect. For example, Kuauhtemok is often called Kuauhtemoktzin, or "beloved and respected Kuauhtemok." It is something which is given to OTHERS. You should never call yourself a name which ends in TZIN - as it would be seen as a sign of arrogance and ignorance.

NAWATL NAMES

AKAPICHTLI : handful of reeds
AKATL : water reed
AKAUXOCHITL : sunflower
AKAZIHTLI : hare of the reed bed
AKETZALLI : precious water
AKOLNAWATL : near the water’s bend
AKOWATL : aquatic serpent
AKZAYAKATL : universe observer
AMEYALXOCHITL : spring flower ( water spring )
ATLANXOCHITL : sea flower
ATLETL : fire and water ( life, multiple force )
AWACHTLI : morning mist
AXIUHTLI : turquoise
AXOLOWA : he who has ajolotes ( type of lizard )
AYOTOCHTLI : turtle rabbit ( armadillo )
CHALCHIWITL : that which is precious
CHIAUKATL : caterpillar serpent
CHIKOEHEKATL : seven wind
CHIMALAXOCHITL : water flower shield
EHEKAKOWATL : air serpent
EHEKATL : the wind
ILWIKATL : cosmos
ILWITEMOK : descending cosmos
ITZAKOYOTL : white coyote
ITZAKPAPALOTL : white butterfly
ITZKOWATL : obsidian serpent
ITZPAPALOTL : butterfly of light
IXTLILIPAKATL : happy face
IXTLILTON : black face
IXWALXOCHITL : flowery plant
IZPAPALOTL : obsidian butterfly
IZTAKAZTATL : white stork
IZTAKECHOLLI : white flamingo
IZTAKIAWITL : white rain
IZTAMIXKOWATL : cloud serpent
IZTAMIZTLI : white cloud
IZTAMOTZAN : white horse
IZTATLOTLI : white sparrowhawk
IZTAZONTLI : white hair
IZTATLAOLLI : white corn
IZTAXOCHITL : white flower
KECHOLLIKETZALLI : precious flamingo
KETZALIWITL : precious world
KETZALIZTLI : emerald
KETZALKEN : ketzal clothing
KETZALKIWITL : precious rain
KETZALKOWATL : precious serpent
KETZALMAKITZU : ketzal bracelet
KETZALTOTOTL : precious bird ( ketzal )
KETZALZIWATL : precious woman
KETZAXILOTL : primordial corn
KIAKETZALLI : precious rain
KIAUHTEKATL : lord of the rain
KIAWITLETL : rain of fire
KOCHIPILLI : sleepy child
KOPILLIKETZALLI : precious headdress
KOWAPAKI : happy serpent
KOWATLAKTOA : talking serpent
KOWATLAWAK : celestial serpent
KOYOTL : coyote
KOZAUTLEKWILLI : yellow brazier
KOZKAKUAHTLI : necklace eagle
KUAUHIXTLI : eagle face
KUAUHKOATL : eagle serpent
KUAUHPITZAWAK : thin tree
KUAUHPOPOKA : smoking tree
KUAUHTEMOK : descending eagle
KUAUHTLEKO : ascending eagle
KUAUHTOCHTLI : tree rabbit ( squirrel )
KUAUHTONAK : solar eagle
KUAUHXIKALLI : water gourd
KUAUHZIN : respectable water
KUAUHZIWATL : eagle woman
KWIKAPEUPEKAYOTL : song begginings
MAKWILXOCHITL : five flower
MALINALLI : small herb
MALINALXOCHITL : herbal flower
MATLALWIKATL : blue sky
MATLALKOWATL : dark blue serpent
MATLALTOTOTL : blue bird
MATLALXOCHITL : blue flower
MAZAKOWATL : deer serpent
MAZATL : deer
MELANKAYOMEXIKA : true Mexikan
MEXIKATL : Mexikan
MEZTLIXOCHITL : lunar flower
MIAWATL : maize ear
MIAUHXOCHITL : maize flower
MIKIZTLI : restless or stillness ( death )
MIKTLANTEKUHTLI : lord of the stillness
MIZKOWATL : cloud serpent
MIZTLI : pluma
MOWANIPAHPAKI : with you i’m happy
NANAKATL : mushroom
NANZIWAN : dear mother
NAWAYAKATL : four reed
NAWIMAZATL : four deer
NAWIOLLIN : four movement
NAWITEKPATL : four stone
NIMITZTLAZOHTLA : i love you
NIYOLPAKI : i ‘m happy
OHTOKANI : traveler
OMETOCHTLI : two rabbit
OZELOPAN : ocelot banner
OZELOTL : ocelot
OZOMATLI : monkey
PAINALZITLI : fast hare
TEATZELWANI : he who brushes with water
TENOCH : hard prickly pear
METL : maguey
TEOTLETL : energy of fire
TEKITZILWITL : venerable hummingbird
TETLAZOHTLANI : love giver
TEZKATLIPOKATL : black smoking mirror
TEZKAWITZIL : hummingbird of mirrors
TEZAPAPALOTL : respectable ash butterfly
TLAHAYESTLI : red blood
TLAKAYAOTL : man of war ( warrior )
TLALTEKATL : person of the earth
TLALTEKUHTLI : lord of the earth
TLAMAKAZKE : wiseman
TLANEZATL : morning dew
TLATLAUKITEZKATL : red mirror ( sun )
TLALYOLLOTL : heart of the earth
TLAZOZIWAPILLI : young loveful girl
TLILKOWATL : black serpent
TLILKWETZPALLIN : black lizard
TLILTLOTLI : black sparrowhawk
TLILTOTOTL : black bird ( crow )
TOCHKWITLAPILLI : young rabbit face
TOLTEKATL : an artist
TONALPAPALOTL : solar butterfly
TONALKOZKATL : solar necklace
TOPILLI : our son
TOTAHTLI : our father
TOTOLANAWAK : bird of Anawak
TOZITLI : our grandmother
WETOCHTLI : old rabbit
WEZIPAKTLI : old caiman
WITZILATL : water hummingbird
WITZILLIWITL : hummingbird feather
XIUHKOZKATL : turquoise mirror
XOCHIKETZALLI : beautiful flower
XOCHIKOZKATL : beautiful necklace
XOCHILIZTLI : moon dream
XOCHIMETL: maguey flower
XOCHIMITL : flower arrow
XOCHIPAPALOTL : flower butterfly
XOCHIPITZAWAK : small flower
XOCHITLAKETZALLI : small evening flower
XOCHITLAKTOLL : he who possesses the waters
XOCHITLANEXTLI : morning flower
XOKOWATL : dear cocoa
YAOKWIXTLI : sparrowhawk of war
TOAZIWATL : woman warrior
YETLANEZI : cosmic morning
YOLOHXOCHITL : heart flower
YOLPAKILIZTLI : happiness
ZANTZONMEKATL : four hundred ropes
ZEMPOWALXOCHITL : twenty flower
ZITLALKOWATL : serpent of the stars
ZITLALLI : star
ZITLALMAKWAWITL : baton of stars ( makwawilli )
ZITLALPOPOKATL : comet
ZITLALTLAZOH : star of my love