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@b0rk @palin For the same reason we talk about "digits" in decimal numbers.

A "bit" in a binary (base-2) number can be 0 or 1.

An "triad" in an octal (base-8) number can be 0, 1, 2, ..., 6, or 7.

A "digit" in a decimal (base-10) number can be 0, 1, 2, ..., 8, or 9.

A "quartet" or "nybble" in a hex (base-16) number can be 0, 1, 2, ..., E, or F. Nybble is "half a byte," making it something of a joke.

An alternative name for what we call a "byte" today is, as you'd probably guess, "octet."

Basically, these terms are ways of communicating two pieces of information at the same time: that you're talking about a single digit in some numerical base of some kind, and what the base actually is.