Why do we say ‘hello’ on the phone

Remember the thrill of racing to answer the ringing phone?  Today, calls might not hold the same excitement, but the simple “hello” that starts every conversation has a fascinating history!

What does Hello mean?

There are two possible origins of the word. As per the Oxford English Dictionary, it is a variant of hallo, hollo, which came from Old High German, as a word to fetch, used especially in hailing a ferryman. 

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According to the American-British journalist and author Bill Bryson, the word “hello” is a contraction of the Old English phrase “hale be thou”, meaning a wish for good health. Either way, the word predates the invention of the telephone. But who decided that “hello” should be used to answer a phone call? 

Hello vs Ahoy – The battle of the greetings

Let’s rewind to the early days of telephones when people were still marvelling at how they could communicate via voice over large distances. Back then, there was no established way of answering the phone – from “Ahoy” to “Are you there” and maybe even “Can you hear me” (some things don’t change, do they). 

Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone was partial towards “Ahoy!”. The only reason it didn’t catch on was Thomas Edison. Yes, the same Edison who invented the light bulb is also credited with encouraging “hello” to become a go-to greeting. 

Edison also believed that a telephone wouldn’t need to ring – they would be always on and would just need the caller to say “Hello” to grab the attention of the person on the other end!

Why did "Hello" win?

The answer lies in the telephone books. The first telephone books included a How-to section which mentioned “hello” as a way to begin their conversations. 

Another theory behind why hello won over ahoy is its versatility. While hello is a neutral word, ahoy carries a strong correlation with pirates, and thus may not set the right tone for a serious conversation. 

So, there you have it: the story behind our everyday “hello”. 

The next time you have to begrudgingly answer a phone, give this a thought and maybe switch it up with “ahoy”. Alexander Graham Bell will certainly be delighted.