ðə stˈeɪʃən tˈʊk ɪts ɪnˈɪʃəl nˈeɪm fɹʌmðə fənˈɛɾɪk kˈoʊd æt ðə tˈaɪm fɔːɹ "ˈeɪtʃ" fɔːɹ hiːˈeɪə, həwˈaɪiː ɹˈeɪdɪˌoʊ tˈaʊɚ.
The station took its initial name from the phonetic code at the time for "H" for Heʻeia, Hawaii radio tower.