Quetzalli

ket-SA-lee
Nahuatl, Native American
"feather, precious thing"

Quetzalli Origin and Meaning

The name Quetzalli is a girl's name meaning "feather, precious thing".

A rare and lovely Nahuatl name, which literally means "quetzal feather" – a quetzal is a beautiful green bird native to Mexico, Guatemala and South America. The word is figuratively used to refer to something precious or beautiful, making this a lovely option for a wished-for baby girl.

Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec name for the feathered serpent deity of ancient Mesoamerica, one of the main gods of many Mexican and northern Central American civilizations, is derived from quetzalli + coatl "snake".

Quetzalli in Nameberry Blog Posts