Aztec place-names

by Frederick Starr

Cuezcomatitlan. [Where are many granaries.] Compounded of cuezcomatl (granary); ti, a euphonic particle; tlan (place of).

Cuicatlan. [Place of song.] Compounded of cuicatl (song); tlan (place of).

Cuitlapan. [Place of excrement.] Compounded of cuitlatl (excrement); pan (in, place).

Chalco. [Place of the Chalcas.] Compounded of Chalca, a tribal name; co (place). This etymology is doubtful.

Chalco-Atenco. Compound name. See Chalco and Atenco.

Chichicuauhtla. [Where are many chichicuauhtl.] Compounded of chichic (bitter); cuahuitl (tree); tla (abundance). The “bitter-tree,” chichiquauhuitl, is described by Hernandez.

Chiconquiauchco. [Place of seven rains.] Compounded of chicome (seven); quiahuitl (rain); co (place). Probably chiconquiauhuitl should here be considered as a date. Robelo says only twenty (cempoalli) and four hundred (centzontli) are used in Aztec as hyperbolic numerals.

Chilapan. [In the water of the peppers.] Compounded of chilli (pepper); atl (water); pan (in).

Chiltecpintla. [Where are many of the little red peppers.] Compounded of chiltecpintli (small and very sharp red pepper); tla (abundance).

Chimalpan. [Place of shields.] Compounded of chimalli (shield); pan (place, in).