The inventor Thomas Edison is the reason why people use 'hello'.

The use of 'hello' as a telephone greeting is credited to Thomas Edison.

The use of 'hello' as a telephone greeting is credited to Thomas Edison.The 19th century was a time for innovation and invention. Alexander Graham Bell was an inventor, scientist, and engineer who invented and patented the first telephone. When the telephone was invented, Alexander Graham Bell wanted people to use the word 'ahoy' as a greeting, but his rival Thomas Alva Edison suggested 'hello.'

A letter by Edison to T.B.A. David, president of the Central District and Printing Telegraph Company in Pittsburgh, dated Aug. 15, 1877, revealed that he suggested the greeting be used while using telephones.

Reference links

NPR

supports

The New York Times

supports

Merriam-Webster

supports

Have a question or correction on one of our fact-checks?

If you think a claim has been misjudged or requires correction, please send us evidence to support your error claim. We will revisit our evidence and verdict and conduct additional research to verify new information.

Fact Check of the Day

misleading

397 children were diagnosed with heart inflammation after receiving Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine in U.S.