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Home › Baby Names Directory › Agüeybaná

Agüeybaná

♂ Boy

Pronounced ah-GWAY-bah-NAH

Meaning: great sun; the great one

In 30 seconds: Agüeybaná means great sun in Taino (Arawakan), combining agüey (sun) and baná (greatness) — borne by the most powerful cacique in Puerto Rican Taino history.
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Origin Taino
Meaninggreat sun; the great one

History & Origin

Agüeybaná is a Taino name combining agüey (sun) and baná (greatness) to mean great sun or the great one. It was borne by two paramount caciques of Borikén (Puerto Rico). Agüeybaná I welcomed Columbus's party and negotiated with Spanish colonizers; his successor, Agüeybaná II (El Bravo, c.1471–1511), organized the Taino Revolt of 1511 — first having a Spaniard drowned to test whether Spaniards were mortal, then leading an estimated 11,000 warriors into battle. He was killed in the conflict. Both figures remain powerful symbols of Taino heritage and sovereignty in Puerto Rico.

Did you know? Agüeybaná II — called El Bravo (the brave) — led the Taino Revolt of 1511, the first organized Indigenous armed uprising against Spanish rule in Puerto Rico.
Las Casas, Bartolomé de — Historia de las Indias, Vol. II (written c. 1527–61; pub. 1875) — Primary colonial source; Agüeybaná documented as paramount cacique of Borikén; agüey (sun) and baná (great) noted in Arawakan contextStevens-Arroyo, Antonio M. — Cave of the Jagua: The Mythological World of the Taíno (1988, U of New Mexico Press) — Scholarly analysis of Taino Arawakan lexicon; agüey glossed as sun, baná as great; chiefly title structure analyzed

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If you like Agüeybaná…

Anacaona— Taino female cacique name meaning golden flower — parallel high-status Taino name from Hispaniola
Atabey— Taino supreme goddess — another high-status theophoric name from the same Arawakan tradition
Caonabo— Taino cacique name meaning lord of the golden house — another powerful Taino chiefly name
Guaraci— Old Tupi name meaning sun — parallel sun-meaning name from a neighboring South American tradition

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Frequently Asked

What does Agüeybaná mean?

Agüeybaná means great sun or the great one in Taino, the Arawakan language of the pre-Columbian Caribbean. It combines agüey (sun) and baná (great, powerful), making it one of the most resonant Taino chiefly names.

How do you pronounce Agüeybaná?

Pronounced ah-gway-bah-NAH, with four syllables and stress on the final syllable. The ü produces a vowel sound similar to the we in away; the accent marks stress and length.

Who was Agüeybaná historically?

Agüeybaná I was the paramount cacique of Borikén (Puerto Rico) when Spanish colonizers arrived around 1508. His nephew, Agüeybaná II, led the Taino uprising of 1511, which is documented in Las Casas and other primary colonial sources.

Is Agüeybaná a boy's or girl's name?

Agüeybaná is historically a masculine chiefly name in Taino tradition, used by male caciques (chiefs) of the highest rank.

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