# Who uses phrase "Holy Cow" **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 28, 2005, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-phrase-holy-cow/314496 "2005-07-28T01:08:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2005, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-phrase-holy-cow/314496/21 "2005-07-28T17:40:04Z")
Yep - “Holy cow!” “Holy Moses!” “Holy jeez!” “What the heck?” “Fer crine out loud!” and “DogGONE it!” are all expressions I use regularly. Grew up in the Chicago burbs with my true-blue, dyed-in-the-wool Cubs fan Dad, who was also a preacher’s kid and had to find alternative swear words. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2005, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-phrase-holy-cow/314496/22 "2005-07-28T17:43:41Z")
[PRAISE THE BOVINES](http://www.mothercow.org/bull/barnyard/holy-cow.jpg)! They died that thine cheeseburger might live. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2005, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-phrase-holy-cow/314496/23 "2005-07-28T17:50:23Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > [PRAISE THE BOVINES](http://www.mothercow.org/bull/barnyard/holy-cow.jpg)! > > They died that thine cheeseburger might live. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![no\_screen\_name\_for\_now](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@no\_screen\_name\_for\_now](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/no_screen_name_for_now)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2005, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-phrase-holy-cow/314496/24 "2005-07-28T21:15:00Z")
> [@jrfranchi](#): > > Who else uses it and where did you pick it up from? I use it in lieu of going “Holy shit!” in front of my kids. ---
**Author:** ![no\_screen\_name\_for\_now](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@no\_screen\_name\_for\_now](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/no_screen_name_for_now)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2005, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-phrase-holy-cow/314496/25 "2005-07-28T21:16:35Z")
Oh, and I probably picked it up from being bonked by nuns when I used unladylike language in front of people who are too sensitive to stomach unladylike language. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2005, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-phrase-holy-cow/314496/26 "2005-07-28T21:24:50Z")
I picked up “Holy Mackerel Catfish!” from my brother. I have no idea where it came from, but I like it. Also, re: “holy moly.” Captain Marvel said this because his whole background was one of Greek mythology, and the moly plant was a magical herb sacred to Hermes. Trivia fun. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2005, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-phrase-holy-cow/314496/27 "2005-07-28T21:41:01Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > I picked up “Holy Mackerel Catfish!” from my brother. I have no idea where it came from, but I like it. Sounds like a reworking/conflating of “Holy Mack’el” _from_ [The Kingfish](http://amosnandydvds.home.mindspring.com/kingfish.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2005, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-phrase-holy-cow/314496/28 "2005-07-29T04:04:40Z")
I use it all the time. Along with many of the “Holy’s” in this thread. My favorite, though, is “Holy Batshit, Robin!” 😃 ---
**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:** [July 29, 2005, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-phrase-holy-cow/314496/29 "2005-07-29T05:19:06Z")
I heard the expression long before I knew who Harry Caray or Scooter Rizzuto were. Somebody explained a connection to the Hindu belief that exalted souls were reincarnated as cows. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![iwakura43](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de0a6/32.png) [@iwakura43](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iwakura43)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2005, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-phrase-holy-cow/314496/30 "2005-07-29T05:42:56Z")
Hah, I was thinking “Holy cow I…” as I clicked to open MPSIMS, then saw this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Scotticher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Scotticher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scotticher)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2005, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-phrase-holy-cow/314496/31 "2005-07-29T05:56:31Z")
I do. I also say “Holy Cats.” I have no idea where all these saintly animules come from. ---
**Author:** ![OldBroad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ed655f/32.png) [@OldBroad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldBroad)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2005, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-phrase-holy-cow/314496/32 "2005-07-29T13:52:43Z")
I do. It’s been part of me for as long as I can remember. It’s inoffensive and can be uttered in the company of all kinds of people. ---
**Author:** ![Elenfair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cc9497/32.png) [@Elenfair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elenfair)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2005, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-phrase-holy-cow/314496/33 "2005-07-29T15:08:00Z")
One of my piano students, age 4 and a half, uses Holy Cow a lot. Also in her list of expressions is “Oh bother…” when she makes a mistake. Smart kid, lots of fun to work with… and she comes up with the funniest things sometimes… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2005, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-phrase-holy-cow/314496/34 "2005-07-29T15:24:45Z")
I use it. Don’t know why, except that I try really hard to curb bad language use in fron of the kids. ---
**Author:** ![phall0106](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phall0106/32/5934_2.png) [@phall0106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phall0106)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2005, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-phrase-holy-cow/314496/35 "2005-07-29T18:34:45Z")
I use it. It doesn’t get me in nearly as much trouble as my former phrase of “Jesus F\*cking Christ”. ---
**Author:** ![Daithi\_Lacha](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daithi_lacha/32/5430_2.png) [@Daithi\_Lacha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daithi_Lacha)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2005, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-phrase-holy-cow/314496/36 "2005-07-29T19:11:10Z")
I’m partial to Holy Guacamole, Holy Frijoles and Holy Cannolis, myself. Mmm … food … ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2005, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-phrase-holy-cow/314496/37 "2005-07-29T19:19:37Z")
> [@Daithi Lacha](#): > > I’m partial to Holy Guacamole, Holy Frijoles and Holy Cannolis, myself. Mmm … food … I like the phrase Holy Cannolis also. But I got the expression from Phil Rizzuto also. Ben & Jerry’s even have/had a flavor called Holy Cannolis ---
**Author:** ![bizzwire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/958977/32.png) [@bizzwire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizzwire)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2005, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-phrase-holy-cow/314496/38 "2005-07-29T20:39:25Z")
> [@Scotticher](#): > > I do. I also say “Holy Cats.” I have no idea where all these saintly animules come from. I do too!!! But then, I also say stuff like “okey-dokey” and “hunkey-dorey.” I’m a very complex person. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2005, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-phrase-holy-cow/314496/39 "2005-07-29T23:29:41Z")
Wasn’t Radar from M_A_S\*H fornd of “Holey Toledo!”? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2005, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-phrase-holy-cow/314496/40 "2005-07-30T14:11:56Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > Wasn’t Radar from M_A_S\*H fornd of “Holey Toledo!”? Klinger saidi that. I say Holy Cow. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-phrase-holy-cow/314496.md?page=1)