Meztli as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Meztli

What is the meaning of the name Meztli ?

The baby name Meztli is a Female name and is pronounced /ˈmes.tɬi/ (IPA); anglicized: MEZ-tlee or meh-STLEE — final 'tl' is the Nahuatl lateral affricate).

Meztli is Nahuatl in Origin.

Meztli (pronounced METS-tlee) derives from Classical Nahuatl metztli, “moon.” In Mexica/Aztec culture the word names the moon itself and is linked to a lunar deity and to folklore of the rabbit in the moon. Some etymologies also connect this root to Mēxihco (Mexico), poetically glossed as “at the navel of the moon,” underscoring the name’s deep association with place, night, and cyclical time.

As a given name, Meztli appears in records among Nahua speakers and has enjoyed a contemporary revival across Mexico and the Nahua diaspora, often chosen to honor Indigenous heritage. It is traditionally unisex but today leans feminine. Spelling variants include Metztli (closest to classical orthography) and Metzli; Metzi serves as a short form. Related choices with the same lunar sense are Luna (Spanish) and Ixchel (Maya-associated), though Meztli retains a distinctly Nahuatl resonance.