Reply To: Tehillim or Tehillos?

I’ve asked a couple of knowledgeable ppl about this. One told me that no, tehilla is not gender neutral but is strictly feminine, and really it should be tehillos cos tehillim is gramatically wrong, but something that has been used and said by generations of yiden is not abandoned but kept even if it is subsequently found to be inaccurate. The second person told me that a story is brought down that when the Malbim went to Frankfurt, Reb Shimshon Refoel Hirsch refused to meet him even though both were at the forefront of the fight against the Reform. He said that because the Malbim changed the name from Tehillim, as it had been known for many doros, to Tehillos, he wouldnt see him!

I’m still trying to find out why it was called tehillim in the 1st place and by whom!