Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *haitaną ‎(“command, name”), from Proto-Indo-European *kei-, *ki- ‎(“put in motion, be moving”). Cognate with Old Frisian hēta, Old Saxon hētan, Old High German heizzan, Old Norse heita (Swedish heta), Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌹𐍄𐌰𐌽 ‎(haitan). The Indo-European root is also the source of Ancient Greek κίειν ‎(kíein, “put in motion”), Latin ciere ‎(“rouse, make active”) and Albanian cys ‎(“to spur, set in motion”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhɑːtɑn/