Holy Moly (also spelled Holy Moley) is an exclamation of surprise that dates from at least 1892.^[1] It is most likely a minced oath, a cleaned-up version of a taboo phrase such as "Holy Moses".^[2]

It was popularized in the U.S. as an expression often used by Billy Batson, the alter ego of Captain Marvel, a superhero created for Fawcett Publications.^{[citation needed]}