Naming Oxoanions/Oxoacids, which ion to base off of?

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Titandwedebil
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For example: If they gave you KClO and asked you to name it...

The answer is Potassium Hypochlorite, because you base it off of the loss of two oxygen atoms from the most common chlorine ion (ClO3). My question is, why can't I base it off of Clorite (ClO2), so that the name of KClO would then be Potassium Chlorite? (without the hyper). How do you know that ClO3 is the one to use and not ClO2?
 
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You are really asking, "How do I know what is the most common ion when they are all strangers to me?"

How many oxyanions are there? Too many to 'get to know'?