What Moctezuma means
Moctezuma is a boy name of Nahuatl (Aztec) origin meaning "he who frowns like a lord". It is built from mo- (himself) and tēuctli (lord) and zōma (to frown in anger). It is pronounced mok-teh-SOO-mah.
Motēuczōma Xōcoyōtzin (Moctezuma II) ruled Tenochtitlan when Cortés arrived in 1519. Survives as a surname and occasionally as a given name.
Spellings and variants: Motecuhzoma, Moteuczoma, Montezuma.
Popularity: rare in Mexico today.
Related meanings: royalty, noble, strength.
Moctezuma is one of the indigenous names that Mexican parents have brought back over the last thirty years. Read about Nahuatl (Aztec) names and how they are built, or see more Nahuatl (Aztec) boy names.
