The Montreal Canadiens are often called Habs for the French word Habitants …

The Montreal Canadiens are called the "Habs" as a shortened nickname for les Habitants, which was the term given to the original 17th-century French settlers of Quebec.

The nickname was popularized by an amusing misunderstanding in 1924:

The Logo: The team’s famous logo features a large "C" wrapped around a smaller "H".

The "H" actually stands for "Hockey" from their official French name, Le Club de Hockey Canadien.

The Misinterpretation: Tex Rickard, the owner of Madison Square Garden at the time, mistakenly told a reporter that the "H" stood for Habitants.

The Tradition:

Even though the "H" doesn't actually stand for Habitants, the reporter printed the quote and the catchy nickname stuck, becoming a staple of the team's French-Canadian heritage.