Nicté

♀ Girl

Pronounced neek-TEH

Meaning: Plumeria flower (frangipani blossom)

In 30 seconds: Nicté is the Yucatec Maya word for the plumeria blossom, a fragrant tropical flower sacred in Maya tradition. In Yucatec the full form nikte' names both the white and red varieties of frangipani.

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Origin Maya

MeaningPlumeria flower (frangipani blossom)

U.S. rank (2020)#14637 ↘ Falling

2020 U.S. births6 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2018

Total births (all-time)≈ 48

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Nicté is the Yucatec Maya name for the plumeria blossom (frangipani), attested in Yucatec Maya dictionaries where zac nicté (white plumeria) and chac nicté (red plumeria) distinguish the two common varieties. Plumeria flowers are found in ancient Maya archaeological contexts, associated with beauty, life, and ceremonial use. The broader word nikte' refers to the flower and the tree. Maya-archaeology.org and FLAAR Mesoamerica have documented the sacred role of plumeria in Lacandon and Classic Maya traditions, noting its presence in temple gardens and iconography dating back centuries.

Did you know? Plumeria flowers appear in Classic Maya art and ritual going back over a thousand years, associated with life, rebirth, and the beauty of the natural world — making Nicté one of the oldest floral names in the Americas.

Maya Archaeology — Plumeria: Sacred Flower of the Maya — Documents plumeria as nikte' in Yucatec Maya; ceremonial and sacred role in Classic MayaFLAAR Mesoamerica — Sacred Flowers of the Maya — Documents Maya sacred flower traditions including plumeria (nicté)

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If you like Nicté…

Chaac— The Yucatec Maya rain deity — a sacred Maya name from the same language and tradition

Kin— The Maya word for sun and day, a foundational Maya name from the same Yucatec tradition

Balam— The Yucatec Maya word for jaguar — a name of natural power from the same language

Canek— An Itza Maya name meaning black star, another celebrated Maya name with natural imagery

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Frequently Asked

What does Nicté mean?

Nicté (nikte') means plumeria blossom or frangipani flower in Yucatec Maya. The white variety is zac nicté and the red is chac nicté in Yucatec Maya vocabulary.

How do you pronounce Nicté?

Nicté is pronounced NEEK-teh, with two syllables and stress on the first.

What is the Maya significance of plumeria?

Plumeria appears in ancient Maya art and temple gardens associated with life, beauty, and rebirth. It has been a sacred flower in Maya tradition for over a thousand years.

Is Nicté a boy's or girl's name?

Nicté is a feminine name in Yucatec Maya and contemporary Maya tradition.