"Wathen" is a surname with an unusual spelling. Its pronunciation, according to the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), is /ˈwɒðən/. The initial "w" represents a voiced labio-velar approximant, while the "a" sounds like the "a" in "cat." The following "th" is pronounced as a voiceless dental fricative, similar to the "th" in "thin." The second "e" is pronounced as a schwa, which is an unstressed vowel sound. Finally, the ending "n" represents a voiced alveolar nasal.