A rèir an traidisionail, bha an t-ainm Tenochtitlan air a bhith a 'tighinn bho Nahuatl tetl [ˈtetɬ] ("chlach") agus nōchtli [ˈnoːtʃtɬi] ("pear prickly") agus tha e air a bhith a' ciallachadh, "Am measg na pears prickly [a 'fàs am measg] creagan".
Nahuatl tetl [ˈtetɬ] ("creag") agus nōchtli [ˈnoːtʃtɬi] ("pear prickly")