A ''teuctocaitl'', (

Nahuatl Nahuatl (; ), Aztec, or Mexicano is a language or, by some definitions, a group of languages of the Uto-Aztecan language family. Varieties of Nahuatl are spoken by about Nahua peoples, most of whom live mainly in Central Mexico and have smaller ...

for "lordly name"; ), was a special

title A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify either generation, an official position, or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may be inserted between the f ...

usually ending in the word ''teuctli'' ("lord"). It was borne by Nahua tlatoani (rulers) in pre-Columbian central

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

. Each position of rulership had its own title associated with it, although a ''teuctocaitl'' could be borne by multiple rulers. Tlatoani is the Nahuatl term for the ruler of an

altepetl The (, plural ''altepeme'' or ''altepemeh'') was the local, ethnically-based political entity, usually translated into English as "city-state," of pre-Columbian Nahuatl-speaking societiesSmith 1997 p. 37 in the Americas. The ''altepetl'' was co ...

, a pre-Hispanic state.

References

* Titles and offices of Native American leaders Nahuatl words and phrases Aztec society Royal titles {{Royal-stub Nobility of the Americas