Berzelius gave the unknown material the name "lithion/lithina", from the Greek word λιθoς (transliterated as lithos, meaning "stone"), to reflect its discovery in a solid mineral, as opposed to potassium, which had been discovered in plant ashes, and sodium, which was known partly for its high abundance in animal blood.
bɜːzˈiːlɪəs ɡˈeɪv ðɪ ʌnnˈoʊn mətˈɪɹiəl ðə nˈeɪm "lˈɪθiən slˈæʃ lˈɪθɪnə", fɹʌmðə ɡɹˈiːk wˈɜːd lˈæmdəaɪˈoʊɾəθˈiːɾəəsˈɪɡmə tɹænslˈɪɾɚɹˌeɪɾᵻd æz lˈɪθoʊz, mˈiːnɪŋ "stˈoʊn", tə ɹᵻflˈɛkt ɪts dɪskˈʌvɚɹi ɪn ɐ sˈɑːlɪd mˈɪnɚɹəl, æz əpˈoʊzd tə pətˈæsiəm, wˌɪtʃ hɐdbɪn dɪskˈʌvɚd ɪn plˈænt ˈæʃᵻz, ænd sˈoʊdiəm, wˌɪtʃ wʌz nˈoʊn pˈɑːɹtli fɔːɹ ɪts hˈaɪ ɐbˈʌndəns ɪn ˈænɪməl blˈʌd.