Recognize that Li is the symbol for lithium, a metal, and OH is the hydroxide ion, which consists of one oxygen and one hydrogen atom bonded together with a negative charge.
Understand that when lithium combines with the hydroxide ion (OH⁻), the compound formed is called lithium hydroxide, because it contains the hydroxide ion.
Recall that lithium oxide (Li₂O) contains only lithium and oxygen, lithium peroxide (Li₂O₂) contains lithium and a peroxide ion (O₂²⁻), and lithium hydride (LiH) contains lithium and hydrogen without oxygen.
Therefore, the correct name for LiOH is lithium hydroxide, as it consists of lithium cations (Li⁺) and hydroxide anions (OH⁻).