People Are Just Now Learning How Bluetooth Got Its Name — And They're Shocked

We use Bluetooth all the time, whether it's for wireless headphones, speakers, or transferring files. But have you ever stopped to wonder why it's called that?

The name itself doesn’t seem to have anything to do with how the technology works. So it makes sense that people are now discovering the true story behind it and finding themselves completely surprised.

It turns out the origin of Bluetooth’s name goes way beyond modern technology - back more than a thousand years, to be exact.

Bluetooth was first developed in the 1990s by three major tech companies - Intel, Ericsson, and Nokia. Their goal was to create a universal short-range wireless communication standard.

Originally, the name was just a placeholder while they searched for something more 'marketable.' But in the end, they decided to keep it, and once you learn why, it makes perfect sense.

Do you know why Bluetooth is called Bluetooth? Getty Stock Images

Back then, data transfer between devices required physical cables, and the process wasn’t nearly as seamless as it is today.

As Bluetooth technology evolved and became more widely adopted, the creators realized the name they had been using had a deeper meaning - one that was actually perfect for what the technology was designed to do.

That’s because Bluetooth is named after King Harald "Bluetooth" Gormsson, a ruler from the 10th century.

On the official Bluetooth website, the company explains the significance behind the name: "In 1996, three industry leaders, Intel, Ericsson, and Nokia, met to plan the standardization of this short-range radio technology to support connectivity and collaboration between different products and industries. During this meeting, Jim Kardach from Intel suggested Bluetooth as a temporary code name."

"The name dates back more than a millennia to King Harald 'Bluetooth' Gormsson who was well known for two things: Uniting Denmark and Norway in 958," it states. "And his dead tooth, which was a dark blue/grey colour, and earned him the nickname Bluetooth."

Jim Kardach, one of the key figures behind the technology, later explained: "King Harald Bluetooth was famous for uniting Scandinavia just as we intended to unite the PC and cellular industries with a short-range wireless link."

King Harald 'Bluetooth' Gormsson was the reason for the name Wikimedia Commons / Orf3us

It’s a surprisingly fitting name, considering Bluetooth was developed to bring different devices together, much like the king who united nations.

Interestingly, the name wasn’t even meant to be permanent. The team had been considering other options, with "RadioWire" and "PAN" (Personal Area Networking) being the strongest contenders.

However, "PAN" had already been widely used online, making it difficult to claim, and "RadioWire" wasn’t finalized in time for launch. So, they stuck with Bluetooth.

One of the coolest details? The Bluetooth logo actually holds a hidden meaning. It’s made up of two symbols from the Younger Futhark runic alphabet - Hagall (áš¼) and Bjarkan (á›’) - which are King Harald's initials.

When people found out about this, they had some pretty hilarious reactions. One Reddit user wrote: "I love that it's named after a guy. That's so stupid and bad sci-fiesque that it's charming."

Another person added: "It was originally intended to be a placeholder name while the project was in development, but it stuck. It's named after the 10th century Danish King Harald Bluetooth."

Meanwhile, someone else admitted: "And all this time, I just thought it was a futuristic font for a 'b'."