The phrase comes from Star Trek, where it serves as the traditional Vulcan greeting and farewell, most closely associated with Spock, played by Leonard Nimoy. It entered popular culture through the original television series in the 1960s and was reinforced by later films and series, where the raised-hand salute became its visual companion. Fans adopted it as a sincere, slightly nerdy way to wish someone well, and it has endured because it feels both futuristic and timeless, instantly recognisable far beyond the show itself.