Why was the name fitting?

Bluetooth unites devices as Harald united tribes

Harald Bluetooth Quiz: The Viking King Behind the Wireless Logo

This harald bluetooth quiz travels from a Viking hall to your wireless earbuds. Play 10 interactive questions on Harald Gormsson, the tenth-century Danish king, uniting Denmark and parts of Norway, the Jelling runestone, his conversion to Christianity, Intel engineer Jim Kardach suggesting the name in 1997, the novel The Long Ships and a logo built from two runes.

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🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 150s

Who
Who was Harald Bluetooth?
When
In which century did he rule?
Unite
What is Harald known for?
Stone
Which famous runestone did he raise?
Faith
Which religion did he adopt?
Kardach
Who suggested the Bluetooth name in 1997?
Book
Which novel inspired him?
Why
Why was the name fitting?
Logo
What is the Bluetooth logo made from?
Origin
Which company started Bluetooth development in 1994?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: Who was Harald Bluetooth?
Answer: A Viking king of Denmark
His full name was Harald Gormsson.
Q2: In which century did he rule?
Answer: The tenth century
He ruled around 958 to 986.
Q3: What is Harald known for?
Answer: Uniting Danish tribes
He also ruled parts of Norway.
Q4: Which famous runestone did he raise?
Answer: The Jelling stone
It is called Denmark's birth certificate.
Q5: Which religion did he adopt?
Answer: Christianity
The runestone mentions it.
Q6: Who suggested the Bluetooth name in 1997?
Answer: Jim Kardach
He worked at Intel.
Q7: Which novel inspired him?
Answer: The Long Ships
It is set in the Viking age.
Q8: Why was the name fitting?
Answer: Bluetooth unites devices as Harald united tribes
It was meant as a code name.
Q9: What is the Bluetooth logo made from?
Answer: Harald's initials in runes
The runes for H and B.
Q10: Which company started Bluetooth development in 1994?
Answer: Ericsson
Work began in Sweden.

The Viking King Behind Wireless

Harald Bluetooth, born Harald Gormsson, was a Viking king who ruled Denmark in the tenth century, around 958 to 986. He is known for uniting Danish tribes and ruling parts of Norway. He adopted Christianity and raised the Jelling stone, a runestone often called Denmark's birth certificate.

Bluetooth technology was started by Ericsson in Sweden in 1994. In 1997, Intel engineer Jim Kardach suggested Bluetooth as a code name after reading The Long Ships, a novel set in the Viking age. Just as Harald united tribes, the technology would unite devices, and the name stuck.

The Bluetooth logo combines Harald's initials in runes: the runes for H and B merged into one symbol. The nickname Bluetooth may refer to a dark dead tooth, though historians are unsure. Today a Viking king's name appears on billions of devices.

What This Quiz Teaches

History and tech fans will enjoy these questions.

Who Harald was
What he achieved
How the name was chosen
What the logo means
Where Bluetooth began

Did You Know?

The Jelling stones are a UNESCO site.
Harald's father was Gorm the Old.
Bluetooth SIG formed in 1998.
Alternative names were considered.
Runes were the Viking alphabet.