The spelling of the Polish surname "Cichocki" can be confusing for non-native speakers. It is pronounced as /t͡ɕiˈxɔt͡ski/ (chi-hock-ki), with the first syllable sounding similar to "chee". The letter "c" in Polish is pronounced as "ts" and the letter "i" is pronounced as a short "ee" sound. The letter "h" in this case is silent and the "o" is pronounced similarly to the "o" in "hot". Despite its complex spelling, "Cichocki" is a common surname in Poland.
The word cichocki is of Polish origin and generally refers to a family name. It is a patronymic surname derived from the given name Cich, which itself comes from the Germanic name Sieg meaning victory. The suffix -ocki denotes son of or belonging to in Polish. Therefore, cichocki would roughly mean son of Cich or belonging to the family of Cich.