Coined 1999 by Interbrand for IEEE 802.11b — it does not stand for 'Wireless Fidelity' despite popular belief.
A wireless networking technology that uses radio waves to provide high-speed internet and network connections, based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards.
Contrary to widespread belief, 'Wi-Fi' does not stand for 'Wireless Fidelity.' The Wi-Fi Alliance hired the branding firm Interbrand (which also named Prozac and Compaq) in 1999 to create a consumer-friendly name for the IEEE 802.11b standard. Interbrand proposed 'Wi-Fi' as a play on 'hi-fi' (high fidelity), chosen purely for its catchiness and phonetic resemblance to that older audio term. The Alliance briefly used the tagline 'The Standard for Wireless Fidelity,' which cemented the false
Wi-Fi does not stand for 'Wireless Fidelity.' This is one of the most persistent false etymologies in technology. The Wi-Fi Alliance hired branding firm Interbrand to invent a catchy name for the IEEE 802.11b standard, and Interbrand proposed 'Wi-Fi' simply because it rhymed with 'hi-fi' and was easy to remember. The Alliance then made the mistake of adding the tagline 'The Standard for Wireless Fidelity,' which they later