What does the word California mean in Nahuatl?

The word "California" does not come from Nahuatl. It comes from a Spanish romance novel called "Las Sergas de Esplandián" published in 1510, by Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo.

In the novel, "California" is described as an island inhabited by black Amazons, a mythical race of warrior women.

While the origin of the word itself isn't from Nahuatl, some speculate that the name might have been inspired by the Spanish perception of the land as a mysterious and exotic place, similar to the fictional island in the novel.