Cuahtemoc
A Mexican given name meaning "descending eagle" or "eagle that falls".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Cuahtemoc. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Cuahtemoc today is around 21 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Cuahtemoc births was 2005 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Cuahtemoc. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Cuahtemoc. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2005
5 babies that year
Average age
21
years old
2005 SSA rank
#11,787
Tracked since 2005
Popularity
Cuahtemoc: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Cuahtemoc by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Cuahtemoc during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Cuahtemoc
The name Cuahtemoc originates from the Nahuatl language, spoken by the Aztec civilization that flourished in central Mexico between the 14th and 16th centuries. The name is derived from the Nahuatl words "cuahuitl" meaning "tree" or "wood," and "temoc" meaning "to descend." It can be interpreted as "one who descends like a tree" or "one who descends from the wood."
Cuahtemoc was the name of the last Tlatoani (ruler) of the Aztec Empire, who reigned from 1520 to 1525. He ascended to the throne during the Spanish conquest of Mexico, led by Hernán Cortés. Cuahtemoc is renowned for his fierce resistance against the Spanish invaders and his unwavering loyalty to his people and the Aztec way of life.
In Aztec history, Cuahtemoc is a revered figure who symbolizes courage, resilience, and patriotism. He is mentioned in several indigenous codices and Spanish chronicles, including the "Codex Mendoza" and the accounts of Bernal Díaz del Castillo, a Spanish soldier who witnessed the fall of the Aztec Empire.
One of the earliest known individuals to bear the name Cuahtemoc was the Aztec ruler himself, who was born around 1495 and executed by the Spanish in 1525 at the age of 30. Another notable figure was Cuahtemoc Cárdenas (1934-), a Mexican politician and former presidential candidate, who played a significant role in the country's democratic transition.
Other historical figures with the name Cuahtemoc include Cuahtemoc Blanco (1973-), a Mexican former professional soccer player and politician; Cuahtemoc Medina (1965-), a Mexican curator and art critic; and Cuahtemoc Sanchez (1961-), a Mexican novelist and short story writer.
Throughout history, the name Cuahtemoc has been a source of pride and inspiration for many Mexicans, representing the resilience and defiance of their indigenous ancestors against foreign oppression. It has become a symbol of Mexican identity and a reminder of the rich cultural heritage that survived the Spanish conquest.
People
Cuahtemoc + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Cuahtemoc as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Cuahtemoc: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Cuahtemoc?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Cuahtemoc going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Cuahtemoc a common name?
We classify Cuahtemoc as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Cuahtemoc most popular?
The single biggest year for Cuahtemoc was 2005, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Cuahtemoc is about 21 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Cuahtemoc in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Cuahtemoc a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Cuahtemoc in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Cuahtemoc still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Cuahtemoc in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Cuahtemoc can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Cuahtemoc?
You can see how many people share the name Cuahtemoc on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.