Dad, Daddy, Father: How Southerners Refer to Their ‘Dads’

The South has always been home, and southern dads fill many roles in their children’s lives. I’ve heard fathers referred to by several names, yet “Father” isn’t the most common. Depending on where you live and your family history, some say Dad, Daddy, Pop, or Papa. What name do you call the special man in your life? Here is how southerners refer to their dads.

Each year on the third Sunday of June, we honor the men who conceived, raised us, or in many situations, played an integral role in our childhoods.

Definition of Father

Let’s begin by examining the definition of “Father.” According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the first meaning is “a male parent,” or “a male animal who has sired an offspring.” But gosh, that sounds so impersonal.

Perhaps the most popular use of the term Father is about the Christian God, especially about the Trinity when we say the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Used as a verb, the term father can define the founder, producer, or author of something. That’s why American’s refer to President George Washington as the “father of our country.”

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I’m confident if I researched the subject in detail, I would find multiple studies that produced different results. My brother and I always referred to our father as Daddy, even until his death at age 81. I can’t remember a single moment when we called him anything else.

My Mama (the name my brother and I have always called the female who birthed us) called her father Daddy, and we called him Granddaddy. My Dad’s father sired 16 children from the early 1900s until the late 1920s and was deceased before my parents met. According to Mama, Daddy called his father, Father, because he was stern and strict.

Dad or Daddy?

My unscientific survey of friends reveals that “Dad” is the most common name, followed closely by “Daddy.” Do more females than males use the term Daddy more often? Probably, but that’s only a guess.  Regardless, Daddy takes the top spot in my tiny piece of the world. I recall only a handful of friends consistently calling their dads, Father. 

Linguists (those who study languages) are unsure where the term dad originated but believe it comes when babies say dada. That makes sense because how could an infant find a pure sound for father? According to a comment by linguist Gretchen McCulloch in an article in TIME, it’s easier for babies to utter sounds from the front of their mouths than the back. Hmmm, maybe that’s valuable information for a trivia game of sorts.

Other names such as Pop, Papa, Pap, pappy, to Old Man are also frequent references for Dads in the South. However, I would have never uttered the latter of those names in the presence of my Daddy – ever! If you knew Andrew Joplin “Andy” Stanley, Sr. you would wholeheartedly agree. :-)

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Dads Are Special

My two children have always called me Daddy or Dad. I notice when they’re with their friends or in a larger group, they generally call me Dad, and I’m okay with either. However, my daughter often calls me Daddy. A handful of my friends refer to their parents by their first or given names. Any name or title you give your Father is fine as longs as it’s respectful.  

Honestly, as long as I have the honor and privilege of being a father, anything will suffice. What I desire is to a great dad to both of them. In the end, it may not matter what you call the male who conceived you. All I know is men instantly become a father when your natural children are born. Yet it takes an extraordinary man to ultimately earn the kindest term of endearment a father can hear; I love you, Dad or Daddy. 

Happy Father’s Day to everyone, and remember, it’s never too late to become a Dad to your children.