What does the H. stand for when people exclaim Judas H. Priest?

Answer 1

The "H" in "Judas H Priest" does not 'stand for' anything! The explanation is found in the fact that this expression is a variation of "Judas Priest" -- both based on euphemisms for "Jesus Christ" (so one could 'swear without swearing'), an example of the common practice of mild or "minced oaths" (compare "Jeesh", "Jeepers Creepers", "Gosh", "Dang it", etc.) This particular one appears to have begun in the early 20th century (at least that's the first documentation of it).
http://www.wordwizard.com/ch_forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=5371

It's fairly obvious that "Judas Priest" was chosen because it sounds very much like "Jesus Christ" in English (and perhaps the fact the Judas was the betrayer of Jesus made it seem all the more suitable).

So the real question is where the "H" in "Jesus H Christ" comes from. There are several theories about this, though most who have studied it agree that it is rooted in an ancient Greek abbreviation for the name Jesus -- using the first three letters of his name: iota, eta, sigma. (Most of the alternatives, except perhaps for "holy", are quite unconvincing.)

These three letters equate to "Ies" ("J" is a modern variation of "I"), but the Greek form of the letter eta (a vowel making the "ay" sound) LOOKS like the Latin alphabet's letter H.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_H._Christ
http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=19960613

Incidentally, the practice of abbreviating names related to Jesus (including "Christ") and God (called "sacra nomina"/"sacred name") goes back to very early manuscripts of the New Testament. (The special treatment of the divine name goes back several centuries before this, to the special way the names of God were written and read [or substituted for, esp. the most holy name YHWH], and is a strong early evidence that Jesus was considered divine.)

Plays on the Latin form of the letters, which included reading the second one as an "H", began rather early. They were used to stand for "Iesus Hominum Salvator," meaning "Jesus, Savior of Man."

Then there is the story tale that, before an important battle in 312, the Emperor Constantine saw vision of the cross in the sky and heard a voice saying that he would conquer "under this standard" or "in this sign." The Latin words would be "in hoc signo," which abbreviates to IHS.
http://www.christianorigins.com/etymology.html

Answer 2

I've never heard anyone say "Judas H Priest" but presumably it's a variant on the exclamation "Jesus H Christ". Don't think the 'H' stands for anything - people say it as it carries the humourous suggestion that 'Christ' is a surname, rather than a title.

Why 'h' rather than any other letter, I don't know. Guess possibly it's supposed to stand for 'holy'?

Oh, and Judas Priest is British heavy metal band.

Answer 3

LT. Hunter from the tv show Hill Street Blues (1981-1987) would always use the term Judas H. Priest

Answer 4

It is harold or harry as in 'old harry' = the devil judas is an incarnate devil figure devil inspired and so on
it is a pergjorative psuedo illiteration i.e. it makes it trip off the tongue flow and adds force to its meaningand its use.

Answer 5

Horatio

Answer 6

Humphery?

Answer 7

Harry (Hairy) - referring to the 'hair shirts' often worn by ascetic holy men.

Answer 8

High

Answer 9

I've never heard that. I've only heard Jesus H. Christ and I guess it means Holy?

Answer 10

Hiscariotes or Hescariotes, or something very close to that.