exists and is an alternate of . According to Wikipedia: One theory says the name Andes comes from the Quechua word anti, which means high crest. Another theory says that the name Andes derived from the Spanish word andén which means terrace in reference to the cultivation terraces used by the Incas and other related peoples. According to Wikipedia: One theory says the name Andes comes from the Quechua word anti, which means high crest. 