The name “coyote” originates from Aztec, more precisely the Nahuatl language. The English word ultimately comes from Nahuatl coyōtl, the Indigenous language associated especially with the Aztec world of central Mexico.
The word reached English through Mexican Spanish, which adopted it as coyote. One early published use appeared in 1780, and English examples followed in the early nineteenth century. The spelling became standardized by the 1880s.
“Aztec” is a commonly accepted shorthand in general-audience trivia, although Nahuatl is the more precise linguistic name. The animal’s scientific name, Canis latrans, is unrelated: it is Latin for “barking dog,” referring to the coyote’s distinctive vocalizations.
Coyotes are native to North America and have expanded dramatically into cities and suburbs. They are not simply small wolves; coyotes are a distinct species, though they can interbreed with wolves and domestic dogs.