Interestingly, DH is from a Spanish-colonized culture and calls his own father "Pop" (FIL has tried to make "Papa" happen for the past couple of decades, but DH is not having it). Specifically because he has a crummy relationship with his father and doesn't care for the association, he goes by "Daddy." One of his brothers also goes by Dad/Daddy and the other by Papa.

Black Southern 42 yo. Our father is Papa.

I know this is a crazy old thread, but just wanted to add that DS has some language delays. He started saying "p" before "d", and started referring to DH at "bapa"...so far it's sticking.

Husband is russish, I’m American. He wanted to be papa, papa he is! I adjusted. Nbd

What an ugly thing to be insulting and judgmental about. DCUM at its worst.

Its a ridiculous hipster thing. Always have to be a little different even in silly things like that.

It's regional, I think. We are southern. My kids have always said daddy and mama. I'm 50 years old and still call my dad, daddy.

Anonymous wrote:In many cases it seems an affect of families wanting to project an air of being European (assuming Papa was not actually born in Europe, in which case I'd say they come by it honestly!).

100+

We have a Hispanic Papi in our home. DD refers to him as "my dad" to others

Papa is what each of us (we’re both Western European) call our own fathers. Grandfathers are Opa and Papy.

In many cases it seems an affect of families wanting to project an air of being European (assuming Papa was not actually born in Europe, in which case I'd say they come by it honestly!).

If you watched Audrey Hepburn movies she calls her dad papa. Accent on the second pa. Granted that movie (Sabrina) takes place in France. Papa is French, Russian, other Easter European cultural heritage. You can be American but a couple generations back it was common so it stays in the family. It’s also easier to say for very little toddlers. M and p are sounds that are made very similarly with the mouth and usually the first consonants for babies.

The boys I nanny call their dad Papa (and even refer to him as "my papa" or "our papa") at 6 and 9, I think because he/his parents are Eastern European. The dad is very much not hipster (nor seemingly Eastern European) but is a lawyer with a rather formal generically handsome American politician vibe. Not one I would expect to be called Papa.

My husband is ukranian and my son calls us Mama and Papa. The european way is like this. I think we all started this way in America too but at some point changed it. I prefer mama and Papa. It is so sweet! Grandparents are just simply Grandma, Grandpa, and Babushka.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DH wanted to be called Papa. No other reason.

+1 but my DH is Latino, so maybe that's common?

Not in our case - DH is American and Jewish. Calls his own father "Dad". He just wanted to be called Papa and so he is.

Did he say why?
Is he a hipster?

DH is about as far from being a hipster as anyone can get! He's an accountant who plays golf!!! He just prefers it. I don't mind. Why would anyone else?

My cousins wife made a huge deal out of getting her children to call their father Papa. It seemed so contrived and unnatural. I think she was doing it for the effect. BTW, the kids call their father dad now at age 10 and 12. She still wants them to say Papa.