Here’s what the symbol means and where it came from. The iconic power symbol, explained The power symbol, which can still be seen on nearly all modern PCs and laptops, originated in the 1950s.

Three symbols were adopted for power, including the familiar one, the aforementioned enclosed circle, and the waning crescent Moon for sleep. The IEEE standardized these in IEEE Standard 1621.

Three symbols were adopted for power, including the familiar one, the aforementioned enclosed circle, and the waning crescent Moon for sleep. The IEEE standardized these in IEEE Standard 1621.