Quetzalli
A feminine Mexican name meaning "beautiful green feather".
Name Census estimates that about 803 living Americans carry the first name Quetzalli. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Quetzalli today is around 13 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Quetzalli births was 2010 (50 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Quetzalli. 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.
People living today
803
~ 1 in 426,842 Americans
Peak year
2010
50 babies that year
Average age
13
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,479
Tracked since 1996
Popularity
Quetzalli: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Quetzalli from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 353 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Quetzalli remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Quetzalli 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 Quetzalli during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Quetzallis live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. California, Texas, Illinois recorded the most babies named Quetzalli, while New York, Illinois, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 103 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Quetzalli
The given name Quetzalli originated from Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs and other Nahua peoples of central Mexico. It dates back to the pre-Columbian era, before the arrival of Spanish conquistadors in the early 16th century. Quetzalli is derived from the Nahuatl word quetzalli, meaning "beautiful" or "precious feather".
In Aztec mythology, Quetzalcoatl was a prominent deity, known as the feathered serpent god. The name Quetzalli was likely inspired by this revered figure, reflecting the cultural and religious significance of feathers in Aztec society. The quetzal bird, with its vibrant green plumage, was particularly sacred and associated with wealth and power.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Quetzalli was a noble woman from the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan, who lived in the late 15th century. She was a daughter of the revered ruler Tizoc and played a role in the political dynamics of the Aztec empire.
Another notable figure was Quetzalli Tonatiuh, a celebrated poet and playwright from the 16th century. Born in Mexico City shortly after the Spanish conquest, she is recognized as one of the first published female writers of the colonial era in the Americas.
In the 17th century, Quetzalli Yoliliztli was a prominent healer and midwife in the region of Puebla, renowned for her expertise in traditional Nahua medicine and herbal remedies.
Fast-forwarding to the 19th century, Quetzalli Guadalupe was a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights in Mexico. Born in 1832, she established several schools for girls and worked tirelessly to promote educational opportunities for women.
Finally, in the early 20th century, Quetzalli Xochitl was a celebrated artist and sculptor from Oaxaca. Known for her intricate woodcarvings and ceramic works, she played a significant role in preserving and promoting the rich cultural heritage of her indigenous community.
While the name Quetzalli was most prevalent in ancient Mesoamerican civilizations, it has endured as a beautiful and meaningful choice, carrying the rich cultural legacy of the Nahua peoples and their artistic traditions.
People
Quetzalli + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Quetzalli as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with Q
Other first names starting with Q with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Quetzalli: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Quetzalli?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 803 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Quetzalli 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 426,842 US residents.
Is Quetzalli a common name?
We classify Quetzalli as "Very Rare". It ranks above 88.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 811 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Quetzalli most popular?
The single biggest year for Quetzalli was 2010, when 50 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Quetzalli is about 13 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Quetzalli a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Quetzalli in the SSA data are female. 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.
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.