“Rabbit Rabbit” Explained: Plus, Where The Lucky Tradition Comes From

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Your guide to the meaning & history behind this superstition
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So you’ve heard someone mutter “rabbit rabbit” and had no idea what they meant by it—but we’re here to help! “Rabbit rabbit” (and its variations, like “rabbit rabbit rabbit” and “white rabbit”) is a superstitious tradition; some believe saying “rabbit rabbit” on the first day of the month will bring good fortune and positivity in life. In this article, we’ll explain the full meaning of “rabbit rabbit” and how to use it—plus go over the history of where this whimsical saying comes from. Let’s get started!

An Overview of “Rabbit, Rabbit”

“Rabbit rabbit” is a superstition. Some believe that saying it upon waking on the first day of a month will bring good luck for the next 30 days! You can also use a variant of the phrase, like “Rabbit rabbit rabbit,” “Rabbits,” or “White rabbit.”

Section 1 of 5:

What does “Rabbit rabbit” mean?

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  1. It’s used in some English-speaking countries, especially the United States, and it’s been a tradition since the early 1900s. People who use “rabbit rabbit” believe reciting it (or one of its variations) upon waking on the first day of the month will bring good luck for a whole month. [1]
    • Of course, there’s no actual proof that “rabbit rabbit” can bring good luck—but some people like using it nonetheless!
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Section 2 of 5:

How to Use “Rabbit Rabbit”

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  1. The superstition is that “rabbit rabbit” must be used on the first day of each month in order to work. Specifically, you have to use it right when you wake up that day, before saying anything else! Saying “rabbit rabbit” brings good luck for the rest of the month (or, technically, the next 30 days).
    • According to the superstition, you also have to keep doing this on the first of each month to renew your luck.
    • Actress Sarah Jessica Parker uses “rabbit rabbit,” and told InStyle that you can either stay awake until midnight to say it at 12:01 AM (the first of the month), or go to bed before midnight the day before and say it when you wake up. [2]
Section 3 of 5:

Variations of “Rabbit Rabbit”

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  1. 1
    Rabbit rabbit rabbit Some people say “rabbit” three times in a row instead of just two. There are various records of this; for example, researcher Frank C. Brown’s Collection of North Carolina Folklore reads, “On the first day of the month say 'Rabbit! rabbit! rabbit!' and the first thing you know, you will get a present from someone you like very much.” [3]
    • That record was collected sometime between 1913 and 1943—which just goes to show that people have been using “rabbit rabbit rabbit” for a long time!
  2. 2
    White rabbits Another variant of this superstitious phrase is “White rabbits.” There’s plenty of evidence for this phrase, too: in 2006, British-American journalist Simon Winchester even wrote an op-ed for the New York Times, saying that “white rabbits” was the first thing he said on the first of the month since he was four years old! [4]
  3. 3
    Rabbit(s) The former President Roosevelt allegedly used this variation of the phrase—“Rabbits”—on the first day of each month, according to the Nottingham Evening Post. He may even have carried around a rabbit’s foot for luck during the 1932 election! [5] This version of the phrase can also be said with either the singular “rabbit” or plural “rabbits.”
    • Basically, if you decide to ask the universe for luck this way, it’s up to you whether you use one, two, or three “rabbits” at a time!
  4. 4
    Bunny bunny The “bunny bunny” variant was something beloved comedian Gilda Radner said as both a child and adult, according to Alan Zweibel in his book, Bunny Bunny (about his relationship with Radner). However, she put another twist on the phrase: Radner apparently said “bunny bunny” at night, to protect her from the dark. [6]
  5. 5
    Hare, hare Some say you should also use the phrase “hare, hare” right before going to bed on the last day of the month (in addition to “rabbit rabbit” the next day). Not everybody who uses “rabbit rabbit” does this, too—but if you feel like it, you can always try it and see if your luck changes.
    • Interestingly, rabbits and hares aren’t the same at all, even if they’re from the same animal family!
    • Hares are bigger and make nests in grass, while rabbits are smaller with shorter ears and make burrows. Still, it’s unsurprising that someone connected the two; they look a lot alike.
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Section 4 of 5:

Where does “Rabbit rabbit” come from?

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  1. 1
    The origin of “Rabbit rabbit” is a mystery. According to the scholarly journal Notes and Queries , kids used the phrase as early as 1909; it reads, “My two daughters are in the habit of saying 'Rabbits!' on the first day of each month. The word must be spoken aloud and be the first word said in the month. It brings luck for that month.” [7]
    • Other contributors said their kids would expect different things from saying “rabbit rabbit” (like presents). One even reported that “rabbits” had to be spoken up a chimney to work!
    • Another contributor speculated that the practice of saying “rabbit rabbit” comes from the fact that “rabbit” used to be part of some expletives, and there’s an ancient belief that swearing could help avoid evil.
    • Despite the speculation, it’s ultimately unknown where “rabbit rabbit” comes from as a superstition.
  2. 2
    “Rabbit rabbit” has appeared in books and shows over the years. The fictional story Solomon in All His Glory (1922) features the quote: “‘Why,' the man in the brown hat laughed at him, 'I thought everybody knew 'Rabbit, rabbit, rabbit.’ If you say ‘Rabbit rabbit rabbit’....you’ll get a present before the end of the month.’” [8] That’s an early example; others include:
    • One of the Trixie Belden stories, The Mystery of the Emeralds (1962): “She half-opened her eyes, stretched her arms above her head, and then, catching sight of a large sign tied to the foot of her bed, yelled out, ‘Rabbit! Rabbit!’” [9]
    • In the mid-'90s, Nickelodeon used to promote the last day of the month as “Rabbit Rabbit Day,” even encouraging kids to say “rabbit rabbit” the next day (unless there was an actual holiday). [10]
  3. 3
    “Rabbit rabbit” is a particularly well-known tradition in New England. It’s not totally clear why people in northern New England tend to be more familiar with the phrase than others, but nonetheless, “rabbit rabbit” is a superstition practiced in many English-speaking areas. Today, it’s believed that “rabbit rabbit” may exist because rabbits have long been associated with luck!
    • Funny enough, there are a few instances of rabbits being considered unlucky too; for example, fishermen in the 19th century refused to say “rabbit” while at sea.
    • Similarly, in South Devon (a county in England), seeing a white rabbit when someone was ill was considered a sign that person was about to die.
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Section 5 of 5:

Rabbits & Luck

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  1. They’re believed to represent everything from good luck to positivity, growth, and even fertility in cultures across North America, Europe, and Asia. Since they’re often seen in spring, they’ve also become symbolic of renewal. Moreover, rabbits have been seen as symbols for thousands of years! For example: [11]
    • Ancient Celts believed rabbits could communicate with spirits (since they make underground burrows).
    • In African-American folk spirituality, some believe that rabbit feet can improve a person’s fertility.
    • It’s also long been a superstition that a rabbit’s foot can be a good luck charm, particularly the back-left foot.
    • Some believe that rabbit feet can only be lucky under specific circumstances (it must be cut off on a certain day or in a particular place, like a cemetery).
  2. They symbolize peace, prosperity, and great fortune—and people born under the sign of the rabbit are thought to be quick-minded, skilled, and very witty. Rabbits are the fourth symbol in the Chinese zodiac, after the tiger. [12]
    • One of the twelve zodiac animals is celebrated each Lunar New Year (from late January to early February).
  3. They’re associated with cleverness, wit, speed, and even mischief. For the Cherokee nation, rabbits are trickster figures: quick, cunning, and able to outsmart (or outrun) predators. In Ojibwe lore, the god Nanabozho has a hare form—a trickster—responsible for naming plants and animals when the world was created. [13]
    • Several Cherokee myths feature rabbits getting themselves into trouble and then cleverly finding a way to escape.
    • Some Native peoples in North America also saw rabbits as symbols of abundance and fertility.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.history.com/news/rabbit-rabbit-feet-good-luck-explained
      2. ↑ https://youtu.be/hLTdVTT1KXE?t=37
      3. ↑ https://archive.org/details/frankcbrowncolle07fran
      4. ↑ https://archive.ph/20130125092151/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-130678037.html
      5. ↑ https://www.history.com/news/rabbit-rabbit-feet-good-luck-explained
      6. ↑ https://www.broadstreetreview.com/articles/bunny-bunny-the-real-gilda-radner-2nd-review
      7. ↑ https://books.google.com/books?id=iTcdvd1iRXsC
      8. ↑ https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015048888161&seq=7
      9. ↑ http://www.trixie-belden.com/books/series/book14.htm
      1. ↑ https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/01/us/rabbit-rabbit-first-day-of-the-month-good-luck-trnd/index.html
      2. ↑ https://sites.nd.edu/manuscript-studies/2024/03/22/medieval-rabbits-ancient-symbolism-english-migration-and-murderous-marginalia/
      3. ↑ https://studycli.org/chinese-zodiac/year-of-the-rabbit/
      4. ↑ https://www.worldhistory.org/article/2586/rabbit-tales-of-the-cherokee/

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