ðə nˈeɪm kˈʌmz fɹʌmðə sˈænskɹɪt wˈɜːdz ʌtθˈiːɾə (hi)ˈʊtʰːɪt(en-us), "ɛkstˈɛndᵻd", tˈiː ˈɑːɹ ˈaɪ kˈeɪ ˈoʊ lˌɛɾɚwˈʌnˈiːfˈoːɹsˈɛvən ɐ (hi)tɾɪkˈoːɳ(en-us)  "tɹˈaɪæŋɡəl", ænd ɐsˈɑːnə (hi)ˈaːsən(en-us) "pˈɔstʃɚ" ɔːɹ "sˈiːt".
The name comes from the Sanskrit words utthita (उत्थित), "extended", trikoṇa (त्रिकोण)  "triangle", and āsana (आसन) "posture" or "seat".