This Mayan name generator deals five real names of the ancient Maya, none of them made up: rulers of Palenque, Tikal, Copán, Calakmul and other cities, as scholars read their names from inscriptions, and the twenty calendar day names.
Read the full guide
Draw names and pick a city
Press Pick 5 new Maya names. The City or kind menu under the button keeps to the rulers of one city or to the calendar day names. The line under a ruler's name gives the city and, where the encyclopedia states it plainly, the year the reign began.
Real names, not invented ones
Every ruler's name is the title of an encyclopedia article on a king or queen of a Classic Maya city, in the spelling scholars use. Rulers known only by a modern nickname, such as Ruler 3 or Dark Sun, are left out, so the list is short and every name on it is a read name.
Questions and answers
What are some real Mayan names?
Kʼinich Janaab Pakal and Yohl Ikʼnal of Palenque, Yax Nuun Ahiin and Jasaw Chan Kʼawiil of Tikal, and Yuknoom Chʼeen of Calakmul. All are rulers' names, and each has its own encyclopedia article.
What were Mayan last names?
None are on this page. The names here are those of ancient rulers, as scholars write them, and the day names of the calendar. Family names of Maya people living today are not listed.
What are the 20 Maya day names?
Imix, Ikʼ, Akʼbʼal, Kʼan, Chikchan, Kimi, Manikʼ, Lamat, Muluk, Ok, Chuwen, Ebʼ, Bʼen, Ix, Men, Kibʼ, Kabʼan, Etzʼnabʼ, Kawak and Ajaw. They are the named days of the 260-day count, the Tzolkʼin, in the modern spelling.
Can this make up a Mayan-sounding name?
No. It deals only names that are on record. This site does not invent names in the style of a real people; for a made-up character, a fantasy name page is the better tool.
Ahkal Mo' NahbName borne by more than one ruler of Palenque.
Ajen Yohl MatName of a ruler of Palenque, on the throne from 605.
B'utz Aj Sak ChiikName of a ruler of Palenque, on the throne from 487.
Janaab PakalName of a ruler of Palenque, on the throne from 799.
K'an Joy ChitamName of a ruler of Palenque, on the throne from 529.
K'inich Ahkal Mo' NahbName of a ruler of Palenque, on the throne from 721.
K'inich Janaab PakalName borne by more than one ruler of Palenque.
K'inich K'an Joy ChitamName of a ruler of Palenque, on the throne from 702.
K'inich K'uk' BahlamName of a ruler of Palenque, on the throne from 764.
K'inich Kan BahlamName borne by more than one ruler of Palenque.
K'uk' BahlamName of a ruler of Palenque.
Kan BahlamName of a ruler of Palenque, on the throne from 572.
Sak K'uk'Name of a ruler of Palenque, on the throne from 612.
Yohl Ik'nalName of a ruler of Palenque, on the throne from 583.
Show all 94 Maya names (80 more)
Rulers of Tikal 15
Chak Tok Ich'aakName borne by more than one ruler of Tikal.
EteName of a ruler of Tikal.
Jasaw Chan K'awiilName borne by more than one ruler of Tikal.
K'an ChitamName of a ruler of Tikal, on the throne from 458.
K'inich Muwaan JolName of a ruler of Tikal.
K'inich WaawName of a ruler of Tikal.
Kaloomte' BahlamName of a ruler of Tikal.
Nuun Ujol ChaakName of a ruler of Tikal.
Nuun Ujol K'inichName of a ruler of Tikal.
Sihyaj Chan K'awiilName borne by more than one ruler of Tikal.
Unen BahlamName of a ruler of Tikal.
Wak Chan K'awiilName of a ruler of Tikal.
Yax Ehb XookName of a ruler of Tikal.
Yax Nuun AhiinName borne by more than one ruler of Tikal.
Yik'in Chan K'awiilName of a ruler of Tikal, on the throne from 734.
Rulers of Copán 15
B'alam NehnName of a ruler of Copán.
Chan Imix K'awiilName of a ruler of Copán.
K'ak' Chan YopaatName of a ruler of Copán, on the throne from 578.
K'ak' Joplaj Chan K'awiilName of a ruler of Copán, on the throne from 738.
K'ak' Yipyaj Chan K'awiilName of a ruler of Copán.
K'inich Popol HolName of a ruler of Copán.
K'inich Yax K'uk' Mo'Name of a ruler of Copán, on the throne from 426.
Ku IxName of a ruler of Copán.
Muyal JolName of a ruler of Copán.
Sak-LuName of a ruler of Copán.
Tzi-B'alamName of a ruler of Copán, on the throne from 553.
Uaxaclajuun Ub'aah K'awiilName of a ruler of Copán, on the throne from 695.
Ukit TookName of a ruler of Copán, on the throne from 822.
Wil Ohl K'inichName of a ruler of Copán.
Yax Pasaj Chan YopaatName of a ruler of Copán, on the throne from 763.
Rulers of Kaan (Calakmul) 9
Bolon K'awiilName of a ruler of Calakmul.
Tajoom Uk'ab K'ahk'Name of a ruler of the Kaan kingdom, on the throne from 622.
Tuun K'ab' HixName of a ruler of the Kaan kingdom.
Wamaw K'awiilName of a ruler of the Kaan kingdom (Calakmul).
Yax YopaatName of a ruler of the Kaan kingdom (Calakmul), on the throne from 572.
Yuknoom Ch'eenName borne by more than one ruler of the Kaan kingdom.
Yuknoom Ti' ChanName of a ruler of the Kaan kingdom.
Yuknoom Took' K'awiilName of a ruler of the Kaan kingdom (Calakmul), on the throne from 698.
Yuknoom Yich'aak K'ahk'Name of a ruler of the Kaan kingdom, which had its capital at Calakmul.
Rulers of other cities 22
B'alaj Chan K'awiilName of a ruler of Dos Pilas.
Ha' K'in XookName of a ruler of Piedras Negras, on the throne from 767.
Itzam K'an AhkName borne by more than one ruler of Piedras Negras.
Itzamnaaj BahlamName of rulers of Yaxchilan and Dos Pilas.
Itzamnaaj K'awiilName of a ruler of Dos Pilas.
K'ahk' Ujol K'inichName borne by more than one ruler of Caracol.
K'ahk' Xiiw Chan ChaahkName of a ruler of Naranjo.
K'ak' Tiliw Chan ChaakName of a ruler of Naranjo.
K'ak' Tiliw Chan YopaatName of a ruler of Quiriguá.
K'anName borne by more than one ruler of Caracol, and day 4 of the 260-day count.
K'an AhkName borne by more than one ruler of Piedras Negras.
K'awiil Chan K'inichName of a ruler of Dos Pilas, on the throne from 741.
K'inich Yat AhkName of a ruler of Piedras Negras, on the throne from 781.
K'inich Yo'nal AhkName borne by more than one ruler of Piedras Negras.
Te' K'ab ChaakName of a ruler of Caracol.
Tutuum Yohl K'inichName of a ruler of Quiriguá.
Ucha'an K'in B'alamName of a ruler of Dos Pilas, on the throne from 727.
Yajaw Te' K'inichName borne by more than one ruler of Caracol.
Yat AhkName of a ruler of Piedras Negras.
Yax Mayuy Chan ChaakName of a ruler of Naranjo.
Yaxun B'alamName borne by more than one ruler of Yaxchilan.
Yo'nal AhkName of a ruler of Piedras Negras, on the throne from 758.
Calendar day names 19
AjawDay 20 of the 260-day count. Written Ahau in 16th-century Yucatec. Linked with lord, ruler, sun.
Ak'b'alDay 3 of the 260-day count. Written Akbal in 16th-century Yucatec. Linked with darkness, night, early dawn.
B'enDay 13 of the 260-day count. Written Ben in 16th-century Yucatec. Linked with green/young maize, seed.
ChikchanDay 5 of the 260-day count. Written Chicchan in 16th-century Yucatec. Linked with cosmological snake.
ChuwenDay 11 of the 260-day count. Written Chuen in 16th-century Yucatec. Linked with howler monkey.
Eb'Day 12 of the 260-day count. Written Eb in 16th-century Yucatec. Linked with rain.
Etz'nab'Day 18 of the 260-day count. Written Etznab in 16th-century Yucatec. Linked with flint.
Ik'Day 2 of the 260-day count. Written Ik in 16th-century Yucatec. Linked with wind, breath, life force.
ImixDay 1 of the 260-day count.
IxDay 14 of the 260-day count. Linked with jaguar.
Kab'anDay 17 of the 260-day count. Written Caban in 16th-century Yucatec. Linked with earth.
KawakDay 19 of the 260-day count. Written Cauac in 16th-century Yucatec. Linked with rain storm.
Kib'Day 16 of the 260-day count. Written Cib in 16th-century Yucatec. Linked with wax.
KimiDay 6 of the 260-day count. Written Cimi in 16th-century Yucatec. Linked with death.
LamatDay 8 of the 260-day count.
Manik'Day 7 of the 260-day count. Written Manik in 16th-century Yucatec. Linked with deer.
MenDay 15 of the 260-day count. Linked with eagle.
MulukDay 9 of the 260-day count. Written Muluc in 16th-century Yucatec. Linked with jade, water, offering.
OkDay 10 of the 260-day count. Written Oc in 16th-century Yucatec. Linked with dog.
How this list was compiled: A list by a written rule, built on 2 October 2026; every name is on record and none is made up. Rulers' names: the titles of the articles in English Wikipedia's categories of rulers of ten Classic Maya cities (Palenque, Tikal, Copán, Calakmul, Piedras Negras, Caracol, Yaxchilan, Dos Pilas, Quiriguá and Naranjo; for example https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Monarchs_of_Palenque), read that day, in the spelling scholars use. A regnal number is dropped and one card stands for every ruler of that name; two spellings of one name make one card. Where the categories hold articles on two or more rulers of a name the card says 'more than one ruler' and gives no count, because the articles do not cover every ruler. The rulers in the Calakmul category are described by their articles as rulers of the Kaan kingdom, which had its capital at Calakmul; a card names Calakmul only where the article's opening does. Left out: 23 rulers known only by a modern nickname or a number (Ruler 3, Dark Sun, Casper), the list articles, Tzʼakbu Ajaw, whom her article describes as the wife of a ruler, and Janahb Pakal, whom his describes as a nobleman and possible ruler. The year on a card is the year the article's opening gives for the start of the reign, printed only where the opening states it in plain words, without 'c.' or a question mark, and the card stands for one article. No meaning is printed: few openings give a translation, and the article on one that does (Teʼ Kʼab Chaak) goes on to doubt it. Day names: the twenty named days of the 260-day count from the table of English Wikipedia's 'Tzolkʼin' (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tzolk%CA%BCin), with the 16th-century Yucatec spelling and the association that table gives. 75 rulers' names and 20 day names; Kʼan is both and has one card. A card names a name and where it is recorded; it tells nothing else of the person. Licence: Facts from English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/); the selection and the wording of every line are ours.