When Cheerios were created in Minnesota in 1941, they were initially named CheeriOats as a play on the word “cheery” and a nod to the grain used in its production. However, a competitor, Quaker Oats, filed a lawsuit claiming that using the term “oats” was a violation of copyright. In response, General Mills, the parent company of Cheerios, changed the name to “Cheerios” by replacing the “a” with an “o”. This change turned out to be quite fitting since the cereal is shaped like an “o” and “cheerio” is also commonly used as a farewell greeting. The term “cheerio” originated in the early 20th century from the earlier version “cheero”, which was a simple expression of good wishes. Interestingly, the word “cheer” originally meant “expression” and is derived from the Late Latin word “carus”, meaning “face” (ultimately from PIE “ker”, meaning “horn”).
