What is a "HOYA"?
This excerpt is courtesy John Reagan (GSB '84), creator of www.hoyasaxa.com and former editor in chief of The Hoya.
The origins of the word "Hoya" defy simple explanation. Over the years, some have claimed it is an Indian word, while those of a legal mind thought it related to the French word oyez, the traditional opening of judicial sessions. Still others held that with Georgetown's location along a river, Hoya might be an offshoot of the nautical "ahoy". None of these claims have held water, so to speak.
The official explanation holds that there was a team at Georgetown called the "Stonewalls". It is suggested that a student, applying Greek and Latin, dubbed the team the "hoia saxa" — hoia is the Greek neuter plural for "what" or "what a", while saxa is the Latin neuter plural for "rock". Substituting a "y" for an "i"; "hoya saxa" literally means "what rocks".