The faux hippies I know try to push mama and papa; sometimes sticks, sometimes not. Some of those people are annoying as hell, some are not.

My son calls me Mama on occasion...not sure why, but that's his comfort name I guess when he's feeling sad or wants to be babied (he is 4). Otherwise, I am Mom, Mommy, or even my first name.

My kids call their father papa (sometimes papi) and call me mama. Both DH and I grew up calling our fathers papa, so it just comes naturally to us. I was raised in the south and DH in California and NoVA. We are not hipsters, crunchy, or foreign.

My dad was German and Papa was what we always called him and my husband prefers Papa because that's what he called his father (who was American).

We are mama and dad here. Kids called us that naturally (well, they called dad "dada" and still do occasionally, but mostly just dad. Mama stuck, whereas dadda morphed into dad.

I don't like Mommy and DH liked daddy well enough but our kids never used. I don't know why it didn't stick.

I kind of like the idea of mama - kids don't ever have to grow out of it, where as mommy seems kind of infantile. Papa may be the same.

BTW, we are not really crunchy. Maybe semi crunchy.

Because my children are German.

Don't judge the pretentious poster - I have observed the same thing. I realize some of it is regional. However, I have found in the very very upper class a trend towards - Papa - though it is pronounced "Pa-Paaaa" like in the Madeleine books - I think it's meant to imply worldliness.

Anonymous wrote:I've noticed a shift from daddy to papa and have also wondered why. I from and live in California, grew up in the late 80s/early 90s. Dads back then were Daddy, even hispanic families used Daddy unless they were just visiting the area or newly here.

Now most kids that I know call their fathers "papa" (sounds more like Paw-puh if I'm going to be exact) and I have no idea why. All different kinds of families too (young wealthy types, crunchy types, older parents).

Why was there the shift from Father/Pa to Dad in the first place, and where and when did it happen?

We speak Spanish at home and my son calls DH "Papi". It's just what stuck when he started speaking. He refers to him as "my dad" when talking to others though. I wonder if he'll switch to dad when he gets older.

Goes better with Mama.

I've noticed a shift from daddy to papa and have also wondered why. I from and live in California, grew up in the late 80s/early 90s. Dads back then were Daddy, even hispanic families used Daddy unless they were just visiting the area or newly here.

Now most kids that I know call their fathers "papa" (sounds more like Paw-puh if I'm going to be exact) and I have no idea why. All different kinds of families too (young wealthy types, crunchy types, older parents).

My DS calls my father Papa.

Where do you stand on the use of Ma and Pa? That's how Laura Ingalls called her parents. That's how my grandparents called their parents. Maybe it is a holdover in some families and locales. We say grandma and grandpa. And use ma instead of mom.

Anonymous wrote:I understand if you come from a country where "papa" is the traditional name for fathers, but I know several families who are completely American in which the kids call the father "papa." I have no idea if it's related or not, but they are also all sort of crunchy/hippie parents. Before the snarkers set in, I don't really care what people's kids call them. I'm just curious about this.

I understand that you have no bad intentions here, but this phrase is objectionable. I suggest simply referencing the heritage as a possible reason for the choice of name.

Why not mom and dad, I hate mommy and daddy. Makes them sound like toddlers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My brother In law is "papa" and it's because they are pretentious idiots.

I just think he want to differentiate from your close minded family.