Tuairiscíodh go bhfuil an t-ainm Tenochtitlan tagtha ó Nahuatl tetl [ˈtetɬ] ("carraig") agus nōchtli [ˈnoːtʃtɬi] ("péar prickly") agus is minic a mheastar go gciallóidh sé, "Amid the prickly pears [growing among] rocks".
Nahuatl tetl [ˈtetɬ] ("carraig") agus nōchtli [ˈnoːtʃtɬi] ("pear prickly")