Ever Wondered How Bluetooth Got Its Name? It's All Thanks to Denmark
In 1996, when Bluetooth appeared in the tech world, most people didn’t pay attention to the strange-sounding name. In later years, some curious people Googled it only to discover the story you’re about to read, and history buffs were probably surprised to see the name of a Danish king used for a technology wireless standard.
Why was a wireless technology standard named after a Danish King?
Harald “Bluetooth” Gormsson (Harald Blåtand Gormsen in Danish) was the king of Denmark and Norway from 958 AD to around 985 AD and is widely known for uniting the two countries. He’s also known for trying to convert Danes to Christianity, but that’s another story.
Now, Bluetooth has become the wireless technology standard millions of people have used since the mid-90s in order to exchange data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices. And it got its name from this fabled king. Can you see the connection between those two? Jim Kardash, an engineer working for wireless technologies at Intel could, so he came up with the name because, as he has said, just as Harald Bluetooth united Scandinavia, the wireless technology we’re all now familiar with would unite PCs and mobile phones with a short-range wireless link.
So, when representatives from Intel, Ericsson and Nokia met at the Ericsson plant in Lund, Sweden in December 1996 in order to plan the standardization of this short-range radio technology, Kardash proposed to use the name Bluetooth until the project was finalised and the marketing team would come up with a better one. And so it happened.
…so why do we still call it Bluetooth?
On Bluetooth’s official site, it’s stated that the permanent name officially picked by the board members was PAN (Personal Area Networking) which was proposed by IBM. But three weeks before the launch event for PAN, detailed research on the internet showed that there were already tens of thousands of hits for PAN, making it an unsuitable name for a trademark. As it was already too late to find a new name, SIG decided to go with the only choice they had left: Bluetooth. As it turned out, the need to find a name in such a short notice was a blessing in disguise. Bluetooth and its logo (which is a Younger Futhark bind-rune for Harald’s initials, H (ᚼ) and B (ᛒ)) was picked up fast by the press and quickly spread in the industry.
And if you’re wondering how the king got this name in the first place, it is said he owes it to a bad tooth that was dark blue.
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.
Culture Trip Spring Sale
Save up to $1,100 on our unique small-group trips! Limited spots.
- Post ID: 1000310372
- Sponsored? No
- View Payload