# The knitted winter hat - what do YOU call it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 16, 2019, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-knitted-winter-hat-what-do-you-call-it/827901 "2019-01-16T22:32:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2019, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-knitted-winter-hat-what-do-you-call-it/827901/41 "2019-01-17T04:21:31Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > I think I called them knit hats. But it’s been many years since I lived in a climate in which I wore them. > > I’m surprised to have just this moment learned that some people do indeed call these stocking caps. In my dialect, a stocking cap must have a long tapering part that hangs down off the head. A hat that fits tightly to the head can’t be a stocking cap. My WAG is that “stocking cap” derives from the way they’re knitted or crocheted, in the same manner as thick winter stockings (and maybe of the same yarn?). But I don’t know enough about sewing to say if they are indeed made the same way. I have no doubt whatsoever that some Doper does know, and will pop in to tell me if I’m off base. > [@Poysyn](#): > > Toque > [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > tuque See option 3. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Downtown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2019, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-knitted-winter-hat-what-do-you-call-it/827901/42 "2019-01-17T05:06:28Z")
I’d never heard _beanie_ for this object until two weeks ago on a trip to Colorado. A couple of members of my Texas family were calling them beanies, and I objected—until I saw them labeled that way in a souvenir shop. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2019, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-knitted-winter-hat-what-do-you-call-it/827901/43 "2019-01-17T12:18:23Z")
I always thought beanies were hats with propellers, as in Beanie from The Beanie and Cecil Show. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2019, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-knitted-winter-hat-what-do-you-call-it/827901/44 "2019-01-17T12:37:27Z")
I’d heard watch cap, but think I’ve always called it a knit(ted) cap. Jughead wore a beanie sans propeller. And I’ve often read about college students (freshmen?) in the early 20th century wearing beanies. Definitely not a stocking hat. When I was young (60s), folk used to wear long pointed stocking caps with tassels on the end. Definitely not the head hugging watch/knit cap. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2019, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-knitted-winter-hat-what-do-you-call-it/827901/45 "2019-01-17T13:10:38Z")
My backpack buddies and I all call them Watch Caps. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2019, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-knitted-winter-hat-what-do-you-call-it/827901/46 "2019-01-17T13:12:12Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Ski hat/cap. If I’m thinking of the sort of hat the OP is talking about, then I agree with this. We didn’t get snow in my city, but you could travel a couple of hours and and be in the mountains. Hence, the only time I recall anyone wearing these is when skiing. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2019, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-knitted-winter-hat-what-do-you-call-it/827901/47 "2019-01-17T13:22:15Z")
Knitted hat (for non poms) and pom pom (for hats with pom poms). I have heard ‘beanie’ for the non pom pom version, but feel it’s a US import. I’m in the UK. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2019, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-knitted-winter-hat-what-do-you-call-it/827901/48 "2019-01-17T14:19:27Z")
Growing up in Western New York, we called them “winter hats.” Now I’m inclined to call them “knit caps,” but I’m not sure where I picked up that term. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2019, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-knitted-winter-hat-what-do-you-call-it/827901/49 "2019-01-17T14:22:22Z")
knit hat/cap ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2019, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-knitted-winter-hat-what-do-you-call-it/827901/50 "2019-01-17T14:27:40Z")
The store I cashier at refers to them as “winter hats.” ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2019, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-knitted-winter-hat-what-do-you-call-it/827901/51 "2019-01-17T14:28:52Z")
Watch caps. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2019, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-knitted-winter-hat-what-do-you-call-it/827901/52 "2019-01-17T15:32:54Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > Knit cap. If I wanted to get picky about what style of knit cap, I’d call it a Mike Nesmith hat. So you can guess when I was a preteen. We’d say a Mike Monkee hat!!! ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2019, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-knitted-winter-hat-what-do-you-call-it/827901/53 "2019-01-17T15:41:48Z")
Forgot to leave the rest of my response… I have NEVER heard of any kind of hat being called a toboggan - that’s a sled. When I was a kid the kick was those long winter hats with tassels on the end - those were called tassel hats or stocking hats. The standard knit hat with the rolled up cuff - winter hat or maybe knit hat. To me, a beanie is a felt hat - like the Brownies (young Girl Scouts used to wear) A toque - that’s Canadian Watch cap - the warm hats sailors in the Navy wear I’m in Minnesota ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2019, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-knitted-winter-hat-what-do-you-call-it/827901/54 "2019-01-17T16:02:08Z")
Watch cap. Or beanie. When we ordered team sweats this year, that’s what the supplier called them. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2019, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-knitted-winter-hat-what-do-you-call-it/827901/55 "2019-01-17T16:06:36Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > It is peculiar, is it not? > > Clearly they are sadly unfamiliar with _Calvin and Hobbes_, which is enough to make anybody cry: > > [https://chutzpah.typepad.com/slow\_movement/2010/04/calvin-and-hobbes-beanie.html](https://chutzpah.typepad.com/slow_movement/2010/04/calvin-and-hobbes-beanie.html) > Now THAT’s a beanie. That’s exactly what comes to mind when I picture a “beanie”; specifically, Calvin flying around in his propeller beanie. > [@Littleman](#): > > Toboggan in much of Ohio. I used to call them “toboggans” during my childhood. Which was spent in my native northern Ohio. ---
**Author:** ![senoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@senoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/senoy)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2019, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-knitted-winter-hat-what-do-you-call-it/827901/56 "2019-01-17T16:24:58Z")
Toboggan. I’m from West Virginia. I saw a few sites that say its southern, but then I saw a map of toboggan hat and it looks like it might be Central and Southern Appalachian. My mom is from PA and uses toboggan as a hat. I would say though that we recognize both uses, but the hat is more common simply because toboggan style sleds aren’t typically used here. We usually use molded plastic sleds or innertubes or sometimes plastic bags or tarps. Very few runner sleds or toboggans. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2019, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-knitted-winter-hat-what-do-you-call-it/827901/57 "2019-01-17T16:30:16Z")
Knit cap or ski cap. But, a knit cap doesn’t typically have the tassel ball. I would not wear a cap like that. 😉 I have seen them in stores, but tassel balls and pom-poms seemed too dorky, even when I was 12. Just my own personal style choice. YMMV ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2019, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-knitted-winter-hat-what-do-you-call-it/827901/58 "2019-01-17T16:37:25Z")
> [@TRC4941](#): > > … > Watch cap - the warm hats sailors in the Navy wear Funny, cause as a kid, the first such cap I remember wearing was my dad’s old navy issue cap from when he was a Seabee back in the 40s! 😉 Lost it somewhere, and have never since seen a hat as tightly knitted as that one. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2019, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-knitted-winter-hat-what-do-you-call-it/827901/59 "2019-01-17T16:40:46Z")
I have never heard anyone use the word “toque” in my life around here. I have a feeling I would get weird looks or possibly a punch in the nose for using such “fancy words” around here. I would just call it a winter hat with a pom. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2019, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-knitted-winter-hat-what-do-you-call-it/827901/60 "2019-01-17T16:44:14Z")
I grew up in Maryland calling it a watch cap or a wool hat. When I moved to Ohio, I found that the locals call it a toboggan. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-knitted-winter-hat-what-do-you-call-it/827901.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-knitted-winter-hat-what-do-you-call-it/827901.md?page=4)