ðə kˈɑːlɪdʒᵻz nˈeɪm kˈʌmz fɹʌmðə kjˈuːmaɪˌɑːi fɹˈeɪz "ˈɛkwɪˌɪjɪmˌæk," wˌɪtʃ hˈæzbiːn tɹænslˈeɪɾᵻd tə mˈiːn "bᵻhˌaɪnd ðə klˈaʊdz," "əbˌʌv ðə ɹˈeɪnz," ænd "ðə plˈeɪs wˌɛɹ ðə ɹˈeɪn kˈʌmz fɹʌmðə hˈɛvənz."
The college's name comes from the Kumeyaay phrase "Ekwiiyemak," which has been translated to mean "behind the clouds," "above the rains," and "the place where the rain comes from the heavens."