Votan was spoken of as "the heart or soul of his people." This derivation has been questioned, because the word for the heart in the other Maya dialects is different, and it has been suggested that this was but an example of "otosis," where a foreign proper name was turned into a familiar common noun.

But these objections do not hold good.
In regard to derivation, _uotan_ is from the pure Maya root-word _tan_, which means primarily "the breast," or that which is in front or in the middle of the body; with the possessive prefix it becomes _utan_.

In Tzendal this word means both _breast_ and _heart_.

This is well illustrated by an ancient manuscript, dating from 1707, in my possession.
It is a guide to priests for administering the sacraments in Spanish and Tzendal.

I quote the passage in point[1]:-- [Footnote 1: _Modo de Administrar los Sacramentos en Castellano y Tzendal_, 1707.