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Indigenous Mexican baby names

smiling little boy crawling on the floor
Photo credit: iStock.om / Gerardo Huitrón

For some parents, naming their baby is an easy task. They're confident from the start that they have the perfect name. Others create lists of names, one for girls, one for boys, and gender-neutral names too. Some other parents wait until their newborn arrives to decide on a name.

In choosing a name, parents give their children their first calling card – the one word that will be with them for the rest of their lives. That name also generates expectations of personality and character. So it's no surprise that many parents gravitate toward Indigenous Mexican names, which are loaded with meaning and ancient tradition, and reflect cultural heritage.

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Native Mexican names

Mexico is a multicultural nation that's home to 68 indigenous communities, each with their own language. The word "indigenous" has been debated, but it's usually defined as being native to a country. As the Mexican Constitution states, these communities "descend from populations that lived in the country's current territory at the time of colonization and conserve all or part of their own social, economic, cultural, and political institutions."

According to the National Institute for Indigenous Languages from Mexico, there are 25 million indigenous people in the country, and almost 8 million speak at least one of 68 indigenous languages.

To help you in your search for the ideal name for your baby, here's a selection of names native to Mexico. They're from the book ¿Y tú cómo te llamas? Las voces de los pueblos indígenas para nombrar a la gente (What's Your Name? The Voices Used by Indigenous Communities for Choosing Names), by Xóchitl Gálvez and Arnulfo Embriz, published by Mexico's National Commission for the Development of Indigenous Peoples of Mexico.

Many of these names have beautiful meanings related to nature, traditions, flora, fauna, and much more. For example, A'nayáhuari, means "spirit of my ancestors" in Tarahumara. Ajal means "awakening" in Maya. Ania means "nature" in Yaqui, Deni means "firefly'' in Otomí. Lindi means "hummingbird" in Tlahuica and Vico means "celebration" in Mixteco.

Indigenous baby girl names

NameMeaningIndigenous Community
AjaniameLifeGuarijio
AnamEarthHuasteco
ArichéDuskTarahumara
AxochitlWater flowerNahua
BimoríFogTarahumara
CitlaliStarNahua
Inda JaniWater that is bornZapoteco
Itan de hüiFlower of the skyMixteco
Ix ChelGoddess of the moonMaya
Ix KaknabWoman of the seaMaya
KantyiSimpleAmuzgo
MalinalliSmall plantNahua
NakawéOwner of the stars and waterHuichol
SesasiPrettyPurépecha
Soona'MoonOtomí
XochimitlFlowered arrowNahua
YamanikEmeraldQuiché
YatzilLoved oneMaya
Yej susenWhite lillyZapoteco

Indigenous baby boy names

NameMeaningIndigenous Community
AtlWaterNahua
AtlahuaOwner of waterNahua
CanneoBirth of waterPame
DanaáStreamPame
HedíaGod of windOtomi
IkalSpiritMaya
IrepaniFounderPurépecha
KabilHe who has a good hand to sowMaya
KasakirDaybreakQuiché
MaatiaakDesertKiliwa
MasawaEvening windPopoluca
PoloSeaQuiché
RahuiDayTarahumara
Semeel jakForestKiliwa
SénecaSpring (of water)Mayo
SuremAncestorsYaqui
TanokSunTepehuano
TlayolotlHeart of the earthNahua
TsijiariLittle sunMazahua
YookoTigerYaqui

Indigenous unisex baby names

NameMeaningIndigenous Community
ErendiraniHappyPurépecha
HasenSoulMazateco
IktanCleverMaya
ItzamatulWho has the grace of the skyMaya
NaranLunar eclipseTriqui
NimaBigQuiché
SetiBrightMazateco
ShanaraniWalkerPurépecha
SuréHas heartTarahumara
TaiyariOur heartHuichol
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Sources

BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organizations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals. We believe you should always know the source of the information you're seeing. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies.

INEGI https://www.inegi.org.mx/Opens a new window [Accessed February 2022]

Norma Mora

Norma has been working as the Mexico editor for BabyCenter en Español since 2007, and has been a BabyCenter mom for the past 19 years. She loves cats, traveling, pilates, and reading (at least 30 books per year!). She lives in Mexico City with her husband and three daughters.

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