balam

Balam is a term with multiple meanings across different cultures and traditions. In Mayan languages, balam literally means jaguar and is a common element in myth, personal names, and royal epithets. The jaguar is a significant symbol in Maya iconography, and balam appears in the names of historical Maya figures as well as in myths and place names.

In Western occultism, Balam is a demon listed in the 17th-century grimoire The Lesser Key of Solomon (also known as the Lemegeton). He is described as a king of Hell who can reveal hidden things, grant knowledge of languages and of past and future, and assist in divination and magical matters.

Today, Balam endures primarily as a given name (and sometimes surname) among people of Mayan heritage, and it appears in contemporary scholarly and cultural works referencing Maya history and language. The term may also be found in place names and in religious or ceremonial contexts within Mayan communities.