People Are Surprised to Find Out What SOS Actually Means
Few signals are as universally recognized as SOS. It’s stamped into pop culture, movies, books, and emergency lore as a desperate call for help. Many people assume SOS stands for something like “Save Our Ship” or “Save Our Souls.” The truth, however, often comes as a surprise: SOS doesn’t actually stand for any words at all.
The Real Meaning of SOS
SOS is not an acronym. Instead, it is a distress signal chosen for its simplicity in Morse code. In Morse, SOS is transmitted as:
- Three short signals
- Three long signals
- Three short signals
