Naming a place
Mexican restaurant names that mean something
Every suggestion here is a real Spanish, Nahuatl or Maya word with a checked meaning and a pronunciation, drawn from the same dictionaries as the rest of this site. No invented Aztec-sounding coinages.
The six naming patterns
| Pattern | Examples | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| El / La + noun | El Fogón, La Milpa, El Comal, La Esquina | The most common pattern in Mexico. The article makes an ordinary noun into a place. |
| Taquería / Fonda / Cocina + name | Taquería Xóchitl, Fonda Doña Lupe, Cocina Oaxaqueña | Says the format first, then whose it is or where it is from. |
| Los / Las + plural | Los Nopales, Las Brasas, Los Compadres | Reads as friendly and family-run. |
| Doña / Don + given name | Doña Lupe, Don Chuy, Doña Chela | Uses the respectful title plus a nickname. See the nicknames guide. |
| Place name alone | Oaxaca, Michoacán, Jalisco, Puebla | Common for regional restaurants; tells the diner which cuisine to expect. |
| Nahuatl word alone | Quetzalli, Citlali, Papalote, Tianguis | Distinctive and available, but check the meaning before you print the sign. |
Words that make good restaurant names
Spanish and Nahuatl words about fire, food, home and market. Each one is a real word, not a coinage.
- Saborsah-BOR
flavor
- Antojoahn-TOH-ho
a craving
- Fogónfoh-GOHN
the hearth, the cooking fire
- BrasaBRAH-sah
burning coal
- Comalkoh-MAHL
the flat griddle a tortilla is cooked on
- MilpaMEEL-pah
the corn field, and the corn-beans-squash system
- Cosechakoh-SEH-chah
harvest
- Mercadomer-KAH-doh
market
- BarrioBAH-rree-oh
neighborhood
- Esquinaes-KEE-nah
street corner
- PatioPAH-tee-oh
courtyard
- Haciendaah-see-EN-dah
the estate house
- Cantinakahn-TEE-nah
the tavern
- FondaFOHN-dah
a small family eating house
- Cocinakoh-SEE-nah
kitchen
- Abuelaah-BWEH-lah
grandmother
- Comadrekoh-MAH-dreh
the godmother of your child, and by extension a close friend
- Paisanopai-SAH-noh
someone from your own country
- Fiestafee-ES-tah
party, feast day
- Alegríaah-leh-GREE-ah
joy
- Corazónkoh-rah-SOHN
heart
- Cariñokah-REE-nyoh
affection
- Aguacateah-gwah-KAH-teh
avocado, from Nahuatl āhuacatl
- Maízmah-EES
corn
- Nopalnoh-PAHL
the prickly pear cactus, from Nahuatl nōpalli
- Cempasúchilsem-pah-SOO-cheel
the marigold of Día de Muertos, from Nahuatl cempōhualxōchitl
- Colibríkoh-lee-BREE
hummingbird
- Golondrinagoh-lohn-DREE-nah
swallow
- LunaLOO-nah
moon
- SolSOHL
sun
- LumbreLOOM-breh
fire, the flame
- Talaveratah-lah-VEH-rah
the painted blue-and-white pottery of Puebla
- Papalotepah-pah-LOH-teh
kite, from Nahuatl pāpālōtl (butterfly)
- Metatemeh-TAH-teh
the stone for grinding corn, from Nahuatl metlatl
- Molcajetemohl-kah-HEH-teh
the volcanic-stone mortar, from Nahuatl molcaxitl
- Tianguistee-AHN-gees
the open-air market, from Nahuatl tiānquiztli
Nahuatl words and names
Short Nahuatl names from the name database, each linking to its full breakdown. Check the meaning before you use one.
- Acatlreed
- Ahuízotlwater creature
- Ameyallispring of water
- Amoxtlibook
- Atlwater
- Axayácatlwater face
- Cacamasmall maize ear
- Chimallishield
- Citlalistar
- Citlalminashooting star
- Citlaltzindear little star
- Cualligood
- Cuauhtémocdescending eagle
- Cuauhtlieagle
- Cuicatlsong
- Cuitláhuaclord of Cuitláhuac
- Ehécatlwind
- Eztliblood
- Huitzilíhuitlhummingbird feather
- Huitzilinhummingbird
- Icnoyotlcompassion
- Ilhuicatlsky
- Ilhuitlday
- Itzcóatlobsidian serpent
- Malinallitwisted grass
- Malintzinrevered Malinalli
- Mazatldeer
- Meztlimoon
- Mixtlicloud
- Moctezumahe who frowns like a lord
- Necahualsurvivor
- Necallibattle
- Nellitruth
- Nenetldoll
- Ocelotljaguar
- Ohtliroad
- Ollinmovement
- Papalotlbutterfly
- Quetzalliprecious feather
- Quiahuitlrain
Food words
The dish and ingredient words, with what each literally means.
- Achioteannatto
- Aguacateavocado
- Anchowide one
- Burritolittle donkey
- Cecinasalt-cured dried beef
- Chalupalittle boat
- Chapulinesgrasshoppers
- Chilaquileschiles and greens in broth
- Chilechile pepper
- Chile rellenostuffed chile
- Chimichangatrinket, thingamajig
- Chipotlesmoked chile
- Chorizopork sausage
- Cilantrocoriander leaf
- Comalflat clay griddle
- Costracrust
- Cotijacheese from Cotija
- Elotetender ear of maize
- Empanadawrapped in dough
- Enchiladadipped in chile
- Enfrijoladadipped in beans
- Enmoladadipped in mole
- Entomatadadipped in tomato
- Epazoteskunk sweat
- Escamolesant larvae
- Esquitestoasted maize kernels
- Flautaflute
- Garnachasmall fried masa cake
- Gorditalittle fat one
- Guajillolittle gourd
- Habanerofrom Havana
- Huarachesandal
- Huitlacochecorn smut
- Jalapeñofrom Xalapa
- Jitomatered tomato
- Longanizalong sausage
- Magueyagave plant
- Mantecalard
- Marquesitalittle marchioness
- Masadough
Place names
Naming a restaurant for a town tells diners which regional cooking to expect. See what each place name means on the place names page.
- Guadalajaravalley of stones
- Monterreyking's mountain
- Pueblatown of the angels
- Tijuanaby the sea
- Cancúnnest of snakes
- Acapulcoplace of the big reeds
- Mazatlánplace of deer
- Méridaveteran's colony
- Xochimilcoplace of the flower field
- Teotihuacanplace where gods are made
- Tulumwall, fence
- Chichén Itzáat the mouth of the well of the Itzá
- Tenochtitlanplace of the prickly-pear rock
- Coyoacánplace of those who have coyotes
- Tlaquepaqueplace over hills of clay
- Cuernavacanear the trees
- Tolucaplace of the god Tolo
- Pachucaplace of hay
- Culiacánplace of those who bend
- Iztapalapaon the water of the flat stones
- Tepoztlánplace of copper
- Taxcoplace of the ball game
- Tequilaplace of tribute
- Cholulaplace of flight
Before you commit to a name
Three checks. First, say it out loud to someone who does not speak Spanish, because a name your customers cannot pronounce is a name they cannot recommend. Second, check the meaning in a dictionary rather than on a name-generator site; several widely circulated "Aztec" restaurant names are invented words with invented meanings. Third, search the name plus your city, because the good short ones are often taken locally even when the domain is free.
If you want a person's name for the business, the nicknames guide is the place to look. Doña Lupe, Don Chuy and Doña Chela all read as warm and Mexican in a way that the full forms do not.
Mexican restaurant names FAQ
What are good Mexican restaurant names?
Names that mean something concrete and are easy to say in both languages: El Fogón (the hearth), La Milpa (the corn field), El Comal (the griddle), Tianguis (the open-air market), Papalote (kite, from the Nahuatl for butterfly). Avoid words you have not checked; several popular "Aztec-sounding" names on naming sites are invented.
How do Mexican restaurants usually name themselves?
Six patterns cover almost all of them: El or La plus a noun, a format word (Taquería, Fonda, Cocina, Birriería) plus a name, Los or Las plus a plural, Doña or Don plus a nickname, a place name on its own, or a single Nahuatl word.
What should I name a taco truck?
Short, loud and readable from a distance. One or two syllables works best: Brasa, Comal, Lumbre, Sabor, Chuy, Nopal, Milpa. A truck name has to survive being read at 30 miles an hour.
Is it appropriate to use a Nahuatl word for a business name?
Nahuatl is a living language spoken by about 1.6 million Mexicans, not a dead decorative one. Using a word respectfully means knowing what it means, spelling it correctly, and not attaching it to something unrelated. Check the meaning on this site or in the Gran Diccionario Náhuatl before committing.