What was the name of Mexico before it taken over by Spain?

The territory that is now known as Mexico was inhabited by various indigenous cultures before the arrival of the Spanish. The most prominent of these cultures were the Olmecs, the Maya, the Zapotecs, and the Aztecs. The Aztecs were the dominant civilization in central Mexico when the Spanish arrived in the early 16th century. The Spanish conquistadors, led by Hernán Cortés, defeated the Aztecs and established Spanish rule in Mexico. The name "Mexico" is derived from the Nahuatl word "Mexihco," which was the name of the Aztec capital city.