Xaya (MH492v)

The man who has the name Xaya also has the baptismal Christian first name of Toribio, which shows that he has been baptized. He may have been named after Toribio de Benavente, also known as Motolinia ("One Who is Poor or Afflicted"). This was the first word he learned in Nahuatl, and he went on to learn the language well. He lived in the monastery in Huejotzingo. Doing a quick search for the name "Toribio" will produce an impressive result.

The name Xaya leaves off the -catl of xayacatl, which makes it more abbreviated than many Nahua names. Reviewing other examples of xayacatl, some have a mask-like look to them (especially the turquoise one, given that masks were often covered with turquoise tesserae). Most are in profile, but one is given in a frontal view.