Why GREY hounds?

This is a question that has troubled me for some time. Why are greyhounds called GREY hounds?

Wolfhounds and deerhounds are both named after their original purpose - that is, respectively, they were bred for hunting wolves and deer.

Before I'd spent much time with greyhounds I assumed it was because the hounds were grey. However I've long since learnt that they can be almost any colour under the sun, but very few are grey. And those that look grey in colour are actually officially termed 'blue'.

So where 'greyhound' came from is a bit of a mystery - a quick search on the internet showed that the name has its roots in the mists of time.

The greyhound is an ancient breed, and the common consensus is that the name comes from the Old English word grighund. Hund is the precursor to the modern day hound, and apparently grig has no modern day derivation, but does refer to dogs in old English.

However - as fascinating as the roots of the breed name are - I'd like to propose another reason for breed name. Ever noticed, just like us, how older dogs get white hairs on their chin, and the real OAPs have white faces? Yep, that's why I think they are called greyhounds.