Written by Darcy Gresham
Like me, you probably use Bluetooth connections in all aspects of your life – whether it’s to choose the perfect playlist for pres, connect to your headphones on the walk to the library, or track that time you’ve finally made it to the gym. But, on any of these occasions, have you ever really considered where on earth Bluetooth got its name? Maybe you’re an exceedingly inquisitive person and took the initiative to google it, or maybe, like the rest of us, you are perfectly happy not knowing. Well, etymology-enthusiast or not, this is the story behind its name.
Firstly, it is important to establish that Bluetooth was developed in Northern Europe in 1996, by a collective of leading technology companies. As the story goes, “Bluetooth” was only ever intended to be a working name for the technology until the creators could come up with something better, but as we can see it stuck. Or at least fate got in the way. When they attempted to revert to a more serious name (Bluetooth was to be usurped by RadioWire), the trademark could not be established so close to the launch. The popularity of the technology meant that it has become a term synonymous with short-wired technology and is forever entwined with Danish history.
So why was Bluetooth even suggested as a place-holding name? Supposedly it was Jim Kardach who said, “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.” Pretty neat if you ask me! Despite being American, Kardach had read up on Viking history, learned the story of Bluetooth and his union of Denmark and Norway, and how he marked his achievement through the construction of runestones. On the topic of runestones, have you ever considered the symbolism behind the Bluetooth logo? That too is related to our Danish King, combining his initials in ancient symbols. It uses bindrunes (Norse inscription) to construct the ᚼ ‘H for Harald’ and ᛒ ‘B for Bluetooth’.
The founding members of the Bluetooth SIG (special interest group) even attended the 25th anniversary celebrations at Jelling Museum, Denmark. As someone currently living in Denmark, let me tell you, Jelling isn’t the usual tourist destination – it’s an almost three-hour drive west of Copenhagen on the mainland ‘Jutland’. The closest ‘big city’ is Horsens, which may appear familiar since it was where Harry Styles played on tour, but even then, it has a population 12% the size of Edinburgh’s. For a historian, however, it must be added to the list of ideal Danish destinations. It is the home of the Jelling stone, the largest runic stone in the world and one considered to be ‘Denmark’s birth certificate’. The SIG members returned to Jelling in 2023, after their initial visit 25 years earlier to pay homage to the namesake of their technology. There was even a special exhibit which I feel I must tell you about purely for its name: ‘Kingnected’ displayed both Bluetooth technology artefacts and the link with the historic King.
Onto the fascinating historical side – who was this king? Harald Gormsson was a tenth century Viking king, who ruled over the Danish kingdom from AD 958–986. As you might have guessed from his name, his father was indeed called Gorm. He was the first Christian monarch of Denmark, who spread his religion throughout Scandinavia where it is still the predominant belief today. His religious shift from Paganism was also politically motivated; the Holy Roman Emperor, Otto the Great, sought to push the boundaries of his empire into the Danish realm. In order to maintain the independence of the Danish church, Harald converted to Christianity. The Jelling stones he erected are a national monument that focuses on royal power, legitimacy, religion, and the leadership of the kings themselves. In creating these special stones, Harald cemented himself in history as the first Nordic King whose name can certainly be associated with surviving monuments.
Harald’s nickname ‘Blåtand’ meaning Bluetooth is an enduring tale. The description appears across many Danish writings, including Chronicon Roskildense, a twelfth century narrative of Danish events as well as genealogies of Danish kings in the following centuries. Details portray Harald as having a dark blue, almost black, rotten tooth. Now, healthcare clearly was not what it is today when our dentally challenged Harald was alive in the tenth century, not even in the utopian welfare state of Denmark.
Personally, I prefer a different tale of events. This one credits the ‘Bluetooth’ of Harald to a penchant for blueberries. Although it’s not the most credible historical explanation, it is an infinitely more magical narrative. It’s far more fun to imagine an old Viking king nibbling away on bundles of antioxidant-juicy berries. It just is, and even if you disagree with this on historical grounds, it’s hard to argue with that.
That’s just a little insight into the etymological history of an everyday technology. Even if you don’t really understand how it works, at least you’ve got a fun fact to fill that awkward silence of trying to connect. See how far you get persuading people that the blue of the tooth was a result of a penchant for blueberries. Hopefully, you get further than me.
Bibliography
Jim Kardach. Bluetooth: The Naming of a Technology https://www.kardach.com/bluetooth/naming-bluetooth
The story behind how Bluetooth technology got its name https://www.bluetooth.com/about-us/bluetooth-origin/
The connection between your phone and an old Viking king https://via.ritzau.dk/pressemeddelelse/13732451/the-connection-between-your-phone-and-an-old-viking-king?publisherId=13560788&lang=en
Turns out Bluetooth is named after an old Scandinavian king who died over 1,000 years ago https://businessinsider.com/bluetooth-name-origin-2017-3?r=US&IR=T
Featured Image Credit: Anagoria. English: Harald Bluetooth Being Baptized around 960 by Bishop Poppo the missionary. Own work. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1200_Harald_Bl%C3%A5tand_anagoria.jpg.
Retrospect Journal 
