The Incas, who conquered parts of northern Chile in the 15th century, spoke Quechua. This theory posits that the name comes from the Quechua word .
Before the Inca expansion, the Aymara people inhabited the highlands of what is now northern Chile and Bolivia. Some historians argue the name comes from the Aymara word .
A secondary Mapuche theory suggests it could mean (from chil or cheele , an onomatopoeia for the bird's cry), though this is less supported.
