‘Dezian los Españoles q’ estavan hablãdo con el Diego Velazquez, y con los
Indios: Señor estos Indios dizen, que su tierra se llama Yucatã, y assi se, quedò
cõ este nõbre, que en propria lengua no se dize assi.’ Hist. Verdad., 5. Gomara,
Hist. Ind., 60, states that after naming Catoche, a little farther on the Spaniards
met some natives, of whom they asked the name of the town near by. Tecteta, was the reply, which means, ‘I do not understand.’ The Spaniards,
accepting this as the answer to their question, called the country Yectetan,
and soon Yucatan. Waldeck, Voy. Pittoresque, 25, derives the name from the
native word ouyouckutan, ‘listen to what they say.’ The native name was Maya. See Bancroft’s Native Races, v. 614-34. There are various other theories and
renderings, among them the following: In answer to Córdoba’s inquiry as to
the name of their country, the natives exclaimed, ‘uy u tan, esto es: oyes como
habla?’ Zamacois, Hist. Mej., ii. 228. ‘Que preguntando a estos Indios, si
auia en su tierra aquellas rayzes que se llama Yuca.... Respondian Ilatli, por
la tierra en que se plantan, y que de Yuca juntado con Ilatli, se dixo Yucatta,
y de alli Yucatan.’ Herrera, dec. ii. lib. ii. cap. xviii.