Why we say 'hello' when we pick up the phone: the history of one word

When a phone rings, most of us say "hello" without thinking. The word leaves our mouths before we know who is calling, what time it is or why the call has come. But have you ever wondered why "hello" is what we say on the phone? There is an interesting history behind how the practice began.

The word was in use even before the telephone was invented. Words such as "Hallo", "Hullo" and "Halloo" were used in those days to catch someone's attention or to express surprise. The word was already part of everyday speech; only its use on the phone came later.

Alexander Graham Bell, who is associated with the history of the telephone, thought "Ahoy!" was a better greeting for the phone. The word was used at the time by ships to contact one another. Bell also suggested to his colleagues that they use "Ahoy!" on the phone. But the word did not become very popular among the general public.

So who popularised "Hello"? Thomas Edison's role is important here. In the early days of the telephone, a short word that could be heard easily was needed so that the person at the other end would know clearly that a call had begun. Edison promoted the word "Hello", and it gradually became the accepted way to begin a phone conversation.

Telephone operators also helped carry "Hello" into homes. The old telephone network was not as simple as today's mobile phones. Connecting a call required the help of a telephone operator, and in the early years women did much of this work. The greeting used while connecting calls, and once contact was made with the other person, spread the use of "Hello" further.

Times changed, and technology made a huge leap from the telephone to the smartphone. Yet "hello" has stayed. Even today, whether we call a friend, speak in the office or talk to a stranger, it is the first word we say. "Hello" is no longer just a word of greeting. It has become a global habit that marks the start of a phone conversation.