# Montreal Canadiens **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 26, 2009, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/montreal-canadiens/482996 "2009-01-26T01:46:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![thirdwarning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecccb3/32.png) [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/montreal-canadiens/482996/1 "2009-01-26T01:46:01Z")
I looked at their website but couldn’t find anything to answer what may be a dumb question. Why Habs? That’s what they put on the scoreboard for the team. The website refers to them that way, too, but with no explanation. Even my husband the hockey fan doesn’t know. In fact, he’s the one who asked. So I’m passing on the question, since I couldn’t figure it out. ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/montreal-canadiens/482996/2 "2009-01-26T01:52:07Z")
I can tell you it’s short for les [habitants](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitants), but how that nickname came to be applied to the hockey club I don’t know. ETA: I can’t find a cite but I think the nickname arose out of a misconception about the H in their logo which stands for Club de Hockey, not Habitants. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/montreal-canadiens/482996/3 "2009-01-26T01:54:03Z")
2nd paragraph of the Wikipedia article: “In English, the team’s main nickname is the Habs, an abbreviation of “Les Habitants”. (Note even in English, the French spelling, Canadiens, is always used.)” ---
**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/montreal-canadiens/482996/4 "2009-01-26T01:56:12Z")
It’s short for [“Les Habitants”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitants), the name for the first pioneers who lived in Quebec. This is also the source of the name “Canadiens”, I believe. Also, this is why there’s an H in the middle of the “C” in [their logo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MontrealCanadiens.png). ETA: Apparently I am a holder of the misconception **HongKongFooey** noted above. ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/montreal-canadiens/482996/5 "2009-01-26T02:02:16Z")
> [@MikeS](#): > > It’s short for [“Les Habitants”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitants), the name for the first pioneers who lived in Quebec. This is also the source of the name “Canadiens”, I believe. Also, this is why there’s an H in the middle of the “C” in [their logo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MontrealCanadiens.png). > > ETA: Apparently I am a holder of the misconception **HongKongFooey** noted above. I only found out recently, [this link](http://proicehockey.about.com/od/history/f/canadiens_habs.htm) explains it better. BTW, we always joke with Canadiens fans that the CH stands for Center **H** ice 😃 Disclaimer: this joke is only funny if you’re familiar with Quebec accents. ---
**Author:** ![thirdwarning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecccb3/32.png) [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/montreal-canadiens/482996/6 "2009-01-26T02:14:56Z")
Thanks, all. I knew I could count on you guys. I didn’t even think of Wikipedia, after the team’s own website didn’t seem to have it. Anyway, again, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/montreal-canadiens/482996/7 "2009-01-26T03:25:52Z")
> [@MikeS](#): > > It’s short for [“Les Habitants”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitants)… Also, this is why there’s an H in the middle of the “C” in [their logo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MontrealCanadiens.png). This is commonly believed, but it appears that the logo actually stands for “Club de Hockey Canadien”. Here’s a [wiki cite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Montreal_Canadiens) (scroll down to “1910-17”). ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/montreal-canadiens/482996/8 "2009-01-26T03:42:03Z")
Their website does have it: [http://ourhistory.canadiens.com/jerseys-and-logos/1909-1946](http://ourhistory.canadiens.com/jerseys-and-logos/1909-1946) ---
**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/montreal-canadiens/482996/9 "2009-01-26T15:32:22Z")
> [@HongKongFooey](#): > > BTW, we always joke with Canadiens fans that the CH stands for Center **H** ice 😃 > > Disclaimer: this joke is only funny if you’re familiar with Quebec accents. Holy crap, this is funny. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/montreal-canadiens/482996/10 "2009-01-26T15:37:34Z")
> [@HongKongFooey](#): > > BTW, we always joke with Canadiens fans that the CH stands for Center **H** ice 😃 > > Disclaimer: this joke is only funny if you’re familiar with Quebec accents. Fabulous! Wish I’d thought of that! I’ll be using it now. 🙂