'ballahoo' originates from English as a variant spelling of 'ballyhoo' (American English, late 19th century), where the element 'bally-' is of uncertain origin and may be echoic or dialectal.

'ballahoo' (variant) developed alongside 'ballyhoo'; the form 'ballyhoo' appeared in late 19th-century American usage to mean loud publicity or commotion, and regional/dialectal spellings such as 'ballahoo' were recorded subsequently.

Initially it referred to noisy attention-getting or sensational publicity, and over time it has retained those senses, covering both 'commotion' and 'exaggerated promotion.'