utica is an unusual latinization of the punic name () or (). these derived from phoenician "ˁatiq" (), cognate with arabic "ˁuttayqah" () and hebrew "ˁatiq" (). these all mean "old" and contrast the settlement with the later colony carthage, whose own name literally meant "new town". the latinization is a little unusual in that the latin u more often transcribed the letter w (i.e., waw) in punic names.