Meaning and history
Mictlantecuhtli is a Nahuatl divine title meaning “Lord of Mictlan,” from Mictlan, the realm of the dead, and tēcuhtli, “lord.” In Aztec religion he was a major deity of death and ruler of the underworld, commonly paired with Mictēcacihuātl. Surviving art often depicts him as a skeletal figure with prominent teeth. The term is primarily the name of a deity rather than a traditional personal name, so real-life given-name bearers are exceptionally rare.