# What is this called??? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 23, 2003, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called/157024 "2003-02-23T22:01:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Malaflam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@Malaflam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malaflam)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called/157024/1 "2003-02-23T22:01:15Z")
I’m looking for a name or term for when someone clasps their hands together…raises them up and shakes them from side to side. You usually do it in celebration or a victory of some sort. The only reference I can think of is kind of what the munchkin does in the Wizard of Oz for the lollipop kids. If there is no name a picture of someone doing this would be great too! I was really just curious first how this action came about and if you were to have to describe this in a written from what would you call it? Ok…thats all I have…any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![ICP9991](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f05b48/32.png) [@ICP9991](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ICP9991)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called/157024/2 "2003-02-23T22:32:36Z")
Maybe it was from people pretending to hold a cup/trophy, and it just evolved…or something…i have no idea… ---
**Author:** ![Tia3child](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/54ee81/32.png) [@Tia3child](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tia3child)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called/157024/3 "2003-02-23T22:42:17Z")
When I was younger we called it the victory grip but then again we were kids. We had names for every thing. ---
**Author:** ![Malaflam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@Malaflam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malaflam)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called/157024/4 "2003-02-23T22:57:10Z")
I figure there probably is no name for it. But I’ve been trying to find even just a picture of someone doing it…but its so hard to find because I dont know what to search for. I’ve tried celebration, victory, cheer…if anyone can find them I will personally dub them “master of finding picutres of people celebrating”. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called/157024/5 "2003-02-23T23:17:20Z")
I don’t know what it’s called either, but my WAG as to its origin is that it evolved from the long-standing tradition in boxing of the refree to grab the wrist of the winner and raise his arm over his head. ---
**Author:** ![Wizo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7993a0/32.png) [@Wizo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wizo)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called/157024/6 "2003-02-23T23:24:58Z")
The place I see it is after football (soccer) games when players are celebrating. ---
**Author:** ![Malaflam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@Malaflam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malaflam)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called/157024/7 "2003-02-23T23:30:34Z")
After some extensive searching I have found these… [![](http://ergocise.com/anim/32.gif) ](http://ergocise.com/anim/32.gif) and [http://tubes.ominix.com/art/a/people/man-anglo-victory-01.jpg](http://tubes.ominix.com/art/a/people/man-anglo-victory-01.jpg) But yeah I think holding the hand over the head sounds like a very possible origin. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called/157024/8 "2003-02-24T00:24:50Z")
My mom called that gesture “shaking hands with yourself.” ---
**Author:** ![RAWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71e660/32.png) [@RAWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RAWDuke)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called/157024/9 "2003-02-24T03:29:48Z")
I remember from somewhere hearing this called a “boxers handshake.” It was the boxer celebrating his victory by clasping his hands together over his head after knocking out an opponent. Sorry, couldn’t find a link through Google. ---
**Author:** ![BlueMit11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@BlueMit11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueMit11)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called/157024/10 "2003-02-24T03:35:47Z")
Connect **RAWDuke** ’s reply with **Q. E. D.**'s and it looks like a good answer to me. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called/157024/11 "2003-02-24T03:43:26Z")
[The Boxer’s Handshake.](http://www.boxinggyms.com/tips/handshake.htm) Not what was described by **RAWDuke** , however. ---
**Author:** ![RAWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71e660/32.png) [@RAWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RAWDuke)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-called/157024/12 "2003-02-24T03:52:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Q.E.D. \* > \*\*[The Boxer’s Handshake.](http://www.boxinggyms.com/tips/handshake.htm) Not what was described by **RAWDuke** , however. \*\* I found that link as well, and it makes sense. I’m just going by an ancient (and not necessarily accurate:) ) memory about boxers handshake. Hey, wait a minute… I read it in Robert Heinlein’s “Stranger in a Strange Land.” Mike was watching a broadcast of a Fosterite’s service. Two people had been selected to “go to their heavenly reward.” The woman dabbed tears from her eyes, her husband gave the boxers handshake, while the crowd cheered wildly. God… what a memory ! 😃