Aztec place-names

by Frederick Starr

Poctlan. [Place of smoke.] Compounded of poctli (smoke); tlan (place of).

Popotlan. [Place of popote.] Compounded of popotl (a sort of grass); tlan (place).

Quetzallan. [Place of quetzals.] Compounded of quetzalli (a bird of brilliant plumage); tlan (place of). The t is dropped between ll.

Quetzalmacan. [Where they capture quetzals.] Compounded of quetzalli (a bird of brilliant plumage); maitl (hand); can (where).

Quetzaloztoc. [In the cave of quetzals.] Compounded of quetzalli (quetzal); oztotl (cave); c (in).

Quetzaltepec. [In the mountain of quetzals.] Compounded of quetzallin (quetzal); tepetl (mountain); c (in).

Quimichtepec. [In the mountain of quimichins.] Compounded of quimichin (a kind of rat-like animal); tepetl (mountain); c (in).

Quiyauhteopan. [Temple of the rain.] Compounded of quiyahuitl (rain); teopan (temple).

Tamazolapan. [Where there are toads.] Compounded of tamazollin (toad); atl (water, river); pan (where).

Tamuoc. [The name is Huaxtec; meaning not considered.] The Aztec hieroglyph is phonetic—tamachia (to measure something); otli (a road); c (place, in).