“What Is It Called” or “How Is It Called”: Which Is Correct?

"What is it called?" is a common English phrase used to ask about the name or title of something. When you use this question, you are seeking information about what a specific object, thing, concept, or entity is referred to. The word "it" in the question refers to the thing you want to know the name of.

For example:

1. If you see a beautiful flower and want to know its name, you could ask someone, "What is it called?" The response might be, "It's called a rose."
2. If you hear a catchy song on the radio and want to know its title, you could ask, "What is it called?" The answer could be, "It's called 'Shape of You' by Ed Sheeran."
3. If you come across a strange-looking animal and want to know what it's called, you can ask, "What is it called?" The reply could be, "It's called a platypus."

The phrase "How is it called?" is not commonly used in English to inquire about the name or title of something. The correct and more natural way to ask for the name of something is "What is it called?"

Through the Google Books Ngram Viewer, we can see that "What is it called?" has a much higher use than "How is it called?" in Google’s database of published books in both American and British English since the year 1800.

Example sentences

1. I saw a fascinating bird in the park. Do you know what it is called?
2. This delicious dish is amazing! What is it called?
3. My friend showed me a stunning painting. I wonder what it is called.
4. I forgot the name of that interesting book. Can you tell me, "What is it called?"
5. The movie was so captivating! What is it called again?
6. There's a famous landmark in the city, but I can't recall its name. What is it called?
7. My neighbor has a unique breed of dog. I wonder, "What is it called?"
8. I heard a catchy tune on the radio, but I don't know the title. What is it called?
9. There's a beautiful flower in the garden. Do you know what it is called?
10. The building architecture is intriguing. I'm curious, "What is it called?"

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Reference:

[What is it called? A formulation and glossary for the finding and understanding of results in HRCT of the lung] - PubMed

In HRCT reports multiple different, often synonymous, German and English terms are used. The variety of terms impede understanding and acceptance of HRCT. Purpose of this paper is to present a scheme, which is based on the anatomic landmarks (secondary lobule), and the density of pathologic changes,…

PubMedH U Kauczor