# Origin of the phrase "A wild hair up his a\*\*"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-phrase-a-wild-hair-up-his-a/66149>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 22, 2001, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-phrase-a-wild-hair-up-his-a/66149 "2001-05-22T01:24:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![moggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8c91f0/32.png) [@moggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moggy)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2001, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-phrase-a-wild-hair-up-his-a/66149/1 "2001-05-22T01:24:13Z")

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First off, is it wild HAIR or wild HARE? And where on earth did this saying come from?

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**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2001, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-phrase-a-wild-hair-up-his-a/66149/2 "2001-05-22T02:05:53Z")

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It’s only “hare” if you’re Richard Gere attempting a more broadening experience, so to speak.

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2001, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-phrase-a-wild-hair-up-his-a/66149/3 "2001-05-22T02:12:37Z")

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It’s wild _hair_.

It seems to have come into use about the early 1950’s in print. My guess is started being used in WWII.