Xochitl Gomez is about to become a very familiar name. The 16-year-old actress is about to make her MCU debut in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as America Chavez, with Marvel Studios already hinting that they have big plans for her in future movies and TV shows.
However, one question many fans are asking is how to pronounce her first name. Xochitl is taken from the Nahuatl (also known as Aztec or Mexicano) language spoken in Central Mexico. The name means “flower,” but Xochitl is also a day in the sacred Aztec calendar set aside for reflection, creation, and pleasure.
It’s a lovely name, but how do you say it? The “Xo” is pronounced “So” and the “chitl” is pronounced “chee.” So, essentially, it’s “so-chee.” If you want an easy way to remember it, think of the Sochi Winter Olympics. In addition, here’s Gomez herself in a 2020 YouTube video introducing herself by saying her name:
Gomez discussed what to expect from her Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness performance in a recent interview with Marvel.com, saying that she’d read the comics and tried to figure out what the character would be like at a younger age:
“You can definitely see the beginning stages of what future America might become. I took stuff that was in the comics, and kind of lightened it up since she’s less experienced. She’s younger than any of her known appearances in the comics, and I think you can see that.”
Marvel comics has teased her as a potential successor to Steve Rogers as Captain America, so if the MCU eventually goes down the same route, Gomez will become a true A-lister. If that happens, at least you now know exactly how to pronounce her first name.
You can see Xochitl Gomez in action next week when Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness premieres on May 6.