Habs Nickname: Where Did It Come From?
Gerda Schowalter
2025-04-27 16:55:19
Count answers: 5
The fable began in 1924 when US reporter Tex Rickard was falsely informed by someone that the "H" stood for "habitant", a french word that in those days was used to refer the farmers of Quebec.
Rickard was told that the french players on the team came from farms and were therefore, "habitants".
At the time, the Canadiens were viewed upon as the french team of Montreal, whereas the Montreal Maroons were the English team.
Einar Christiansen
2025-04-21 13:26:07
Count answers: 6
One of the most common nicknames for players and fans of this NHL team is “the Habs.” This is short for “Les habitants” or “the habitants.” According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a habitant is “a settler or descendant of a settler of French origin working as a farmer in Canada.”
Habitant or Hab as a nickname for the Canadiens appears to have its roots in a mistake made by Tex Rickard, former owner of Madison Square Garden in New York. In a 1924 interview, he apparently told a reporter that the “H” in the Canadiens’ logo stood for “Habitants”. This, however, is not true. Regardless, the nickname caught on.
Fiona Reinger
2025-04-08 21:39:25
Count answers: 3
The anglophones nicknamed the team habitants, which was eventually shortened to habs. Many people believed the "H" in the logo stood for "Habs" or "Habitants," which isn't the case.
Jodie Bartell
2025-04-08 21:17:40
Count answers: 4
The "Habs" nickname might have been the result of an error in 1924. The first man to refer to the team as the Habs was Tex Rickard, the found of the National Hockey League and the owner of Madison Square Garden. Rickard apparently told a reporter that the "H" in the logo on the Canadiens' jerseys stood for habitants, which is not true. Players and fans are often called the Habs, which is believed to be an abbreviation of les habitants, the informal name given in the 17th century to the original settlers of "New France."
Elian Von
2025-04-08 20:38:56
Count answers: 4
The "Habs" nickname might have been the result of an error in 1924. The first man to refer to the team as the Habs was Tex Rickard, the found of the National Hockey League and the owner of Madison Square Garden. Rickard apparently told a reporter that the "H" in the logo on the Canadiens' jerseys stood for habitants, which is not true.
Aleen Wilkinson
2025-04-08 18:43:06
Count answers: 3
The anglophones nicknamed the team habitants, which was eventually shortened to habs. Many people believed the "H" in the logo stood for "Habs" or "Habitants," which isn't the case.
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