JFF ~ What Do You Call Your Dad? What Do Your Kids Call Your Dad?

Updated on June 25, 2011
L.A. asks from Kyle, TX
53 answers

As a child and now as an adult, I have always called my father "Daddy".

Our daughter and the grand kids call him "Abu".. this is short for the Spanish Abuelito.

What do you call your dads?
What do your kids call him?

We have a friend whose grandchildren call him Crappa. The could not pronounce Grandpa!

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A.C.

answers from Savannah on

Biological father: if speaking to him, I call him "dad" but if talking to anyone else, I call him "Michael". My dad who adopted me, I call "dad".
My boys call my fil "Grandpa __" and my dad "Pops". My mom, for some reason, is "Bugga" because that's what my oldest named her.

2 moms found this helpful

E.B.

answers from Seattle on

We have extra grand parents because my hubs mom and dad are split.

So, to help them out we have named my mom and dad Gma and Gpa Sadie, after there dog. My hubs mom and step-dad are grandma and grandpa Kitty, because they have 6 mancoons. My hubs dad and step mom are Gma and Gpa Danelle...They also are referred to as Gmop and Gpops.

I have always referred to my dad as daddio....or cool cat...He is a musican and a big ole hippie. He still wears his big thick military issued glasses from back when he was in the army...He is rarely without his tye-dye on..and he has a rattle snake skull he wears in one ear when he is out preforming...so cool cat fits him.

2 moms found this helpful

A.C.

answers from Oklahoma City on

I call him Dad. So plain!
My kids call him "Grandawg" When he first got in the oil field bussiness, he was a yard dog and everyone just called him "dawg" or "dawgman" (that was like 20 years ago) and the name just stuck, but when he became a grandpa (10 years ago) it got changed to Grandawg! Even his friends call him that :o) My mom is Mima (Mee-ma) A family I used to nanny for called their grandparents Bubba and Sparkle....I thought that was cute!

2 moms found this helpful

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E.G.

answers from Jackson on

I always call my dad "Daddy"

His last name is Gunn so wanted to be "Pop Gunn"

3 moms found this helpful
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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

My Dad is Dad, Da', Daddy.... to me

For my son... it's his (my dad's) own durn fault. He went on a campaign to be called Big Bad Bubba Bob (instead of Papa/Grand da/etc.)... so now it's just Bob. <rolls eyes> Big high muckety muck military man called by his first name by a small child. Not only that, but as a TITLE. That's my Bob! Reaping and sowing there dad. Give a toddler an option that's 10 miles long and he's going to choose the shortest variation they can find. Guess he lucked out in not being 'named' Big or Bad.

3 moms found this helpful

C.S.

answers from Medford on

from what I can remember, I always called my dad: dad. He is no longer living.

My kids call their dad: daddy or dad or stinker Daddy. :)
Hubby calls his dad: dad.
My Kids called my dad: Papa Warren and my husband's Dad: Papa.

2 moms found this helpful
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A.C.

answers from Washington DC on

my dad is dad or daddy or pops to me. My step-dad is david to me.

My mom and step-dad are nana & papaw. My dad and step-mom are grandpa and grandma Fun. My husband's dad isn't really in the picture but we call him Grandpa Jack. and my husband's mom passed away before my kids were born but we refer to her as grandma mike (her name was Michaeleen).

When my husband's grandmother was still alive she was grandma, and my grandmother was grams.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.L.

answers from Des Moines on

We are pretty boring...I call my dad Dad and Daddy if I want something. :) And he knows when I call him Daddy to just ask...what do you want? Although, now he appreciates it because I'm not a kid asking for money or things! My daughter calls him Grandpa.

1 mom found this helpful

K.M.

answers from Chicago on

I call my dad "Dad" or sometimes "Daddy"
My dad instists on being called "Gampa" not a fan since my son has a speech delay and took a while to say "Grandpa" correctly, but I let it happen ... I call him "Grandpa" when I am talking to him around my son so he learns his title, sadly my son only sees him once a year.

1 mom found this helpful

L.U.

answers from Seattle on

My dad is my "dad"
My kids call him "buelo" (also Spanish for Abuelo...for some reason my first didn't want to say the "a". Funny enough they call my mom "abue"...just cut off the END of the word)
My boys call my husband "papa".

1 mom found this helpful
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K.C.

answers from Philadelphia on

I call him Dad, my kids call him Opa.

1 mom found this helpful

M.H.

answers from Raleigh on

I call my Dad, Dad. Nothing too creative there! My son calls him Poppop!

1 mom found this helpful

M.S.

answers from Omaha on

Dad. My kids call him Poppi.

1 mom found this helpful

L.G.

answers from Austin on

I call him 'dad' and our son calls him 'papa'. I've never called him 'daddy' , its always been dad.

'Crappa' sounds hilarious.:)

1 mom found this helpful
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S.B.

answers from Dallas on

My step Dad is Daddy. My biological father is Dad. My kids call my Daddy "Grandpop". My son randomly started calling him this one day. It's funny, because he always called his dad "Pop", so I think he loves it. My Dad is Grandpa.

1 mom found this helpful
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L.S.

answers from Spokane on

I've always called my dad Pop; my girls call him Deda (Russian for grandpa). Sometimes my oldest will call him 'your Pop' when talking to me :o)

My FIL is Pa to his kids; Grandpa to my girls and Deda to my nephew (don't know WHY my SIL insisted on this, but whatever).

My husband is Daddy to our girls - mostly because we wanted to differenciate between my dad, his dad and him.

1 mom found this helpful

N.G.

answers from Dallas on

I call my Dad "Dad" or "Daddy", and my kids call him "Paw Paw"

1 mom found this helpful
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M.L.

answers from San Antonio on

I call him dad :)
When he became a grandfather he said he wanted to be called granddad. Well my daughter thought Poppi suited him better! She is 8 and still calls him her Poppi, which he adores ;)

1 mom found this helpful
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S.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

My dad has passed away but I used to call him "Apa" - Korean for dad. My hubby calls his dad the same. Our 2 year old calls FIL "Paw Paw" b/c he can't pronounce Grandpa. So cute to hear :)

1 mom found this helpful
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K.A.

answers from Eugene on

I call my dad, "Dad" :-)

My daughter calls him "Grandaddy"

1 mom found this helpful
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C.R.

answers from Seattle on

Dad.
Grandpa.
We're boring. :)

1 mom found this helpful

V.S.

answers from Asheville on

I either call my father "Dad" or "Daddy". The kids call him "Papaw". It's confusing when Dad, my best friend, and my nephew are together because they're all short and hungry blue-eyed techno-geeks named Paul. Every five minutes it's "Paul!" "Which one?" when they're at my house.

I called my three grandfathers "Grampa" (paternal grandfather), "Grandpa Pat" (maternal step-granfather), and "Grandfather Henry" (maternal grandfather). Grandpa Pat died before I was born and I never met, or wanted to meet, Grandfather Henry.

1 mom found this helpful
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V.T.

answers from Dallas on

I call my dad, Dad or Pop. My daughter calls him Grandpa, sometimes Grandma but she's only 2 so she forgets the difference. My FIL has passed away but he would of been Abuelo, or some form of it. My mother's father was Poppy when he was alive.

1 mom found this helpful
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C.S.

answers from Milwaukee on

I'm 39 and I still call my dad, "daddy".

Our kids call my dad: Papa Charlie, (which for whatever reason I think is so darned cute!), and my FIL, Papa S....his last name.

My DH's cousin's kids call their Gpa: Bumpo and I love that too!

1 mom found this helpful
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J.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

Daddy, always and forever. Even when I was 35 and my mother referred to him as John when she was speaking to me within his earshot, he corrected her and said, 'No, Daddy!' He died recently and my heart breaks three times a day when I think of him. Our children called him Poppy.

1 mom found this helpful
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C.P.

answers from Provo on

Since I have kids sometimes I call my dad grandpa but most of the time I still call him dad. My kids call him grandpa.

1 mom found this helpful

S.H.

answers from Spokane on

I call my Father "Dad" and my kids call him Sandman or Gram-pa (his name is Sandy).
I call my step-father Ron and my kids call him Pa-Pa Ron.
Hubby calls his Father "Dad" and kids call him Grandpa Jim.

1 mom found this helpful

C.M.

answers from St. Louis on

I call my dad 'Dad' and my dad is PawPaw to my kids. Hubby calls his dad 'Dad' and his father is Grandpa to our kids.

1 mom found this helpful

T.K.

answers from Dallas on

we have a Pawpaw. So country, I know.

1 mom found this helpful

A.A.

answers from Las Vegas on

I call him Dad and my kids call him Papa

1 mom found this helpful

F.H.

answers from Phoenix on

nothing. I've never met him.

1 mom found this helpful
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A.F.

answers from San Francisco on

I call my dad, dad or on a day when I am feeling honory he is called Grumps. My son calls him Pawpaw.

1 mom found this helpful

C.D.

answers from Columbia on

My dad is awesome!
On a regular day I just call him Dad or Grandpa. When we are joking around, which also happends on most regular days, I call him Padre or Paw. When I call him because someone is sick I ask for Dr. Dad. I have never, ever called him by his first name. That would seem so weird to me!
My kids call him PawPaw or Grandpa. He loves either one. I think he would say call me whatever you want, just keep calling me. He is the greatest.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.J.

answers from Saginaw on

My Dad use to joke that depending upon what I wanted or needed I called him something different. It was Daddy if I wanted something that I knew I probably wouldn't get and the it was a drawn out "Daaady" it was Daddy regular for most anything else. It was Dad if I new I was in trouble or being told to do something "yes Dad" And if I was mad at him which was very rare it was "my Father wont let me...." LOL kinda fun!

My kids to Dad and Daddly depending and sometimes just Da

1 mom found this helpful
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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

Well my Dad died.
But I called him "Dad."

My kids call him "Grandpa" even if he has died already. They KNOW him... because I talk of him often so that they 'know' him, too. They loved him, genuinely and talk to him in the 'sky.' They loved to go to the cemetery to take him flowers too.

My Son will say how he wishes Grandpa was here... he misses him. Even if he did not grow up with him nor know him personally. But they also 'talk' to his photo too.
They really adore him. He is a part of their lives, even if he passed away already, by the time they were born.
My daughter interestingly, when she was just a Toddler of 2 years old... would talk about Grandpa as though she already knew him. She said she saw him while "In Mommy's tummy..." and she would say that she would see him while sleeping etc. and tell us all kinds of stories about him, that was not her repeating us.

Anyway, rambling here.
But Grandpa... is Grandpa. And a part of our lives, still and for my kids.

all the best,
Susan

1 mom found this helpful

L.G.

answers from Eugene on

My father was called Papa by my kids. We called our grandfather who lived to age 96 Pop M____ his last name. My children called him by the same name.

My husband was called Opa by our grandchildren. My father's father was called Grandpa. My German speaking grandparents switched to English names and everything else as part of being Americans. And they spoke English really well so they chose to be called grandma and grandpa by all of us.

1 mom found this helpful
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A.S.

answers from Casper on

My dad is Dad and my kids call him Grandpa Grandpa. Both of our mothers have remarried and my grandpas are still alive. That is how they differentiate.

1 mom found this helpful
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A.G.

answers from Albuquerque on

I still call my dad, daddy, thats just who he is to me.
He likes the grandkids to call him Poppy. I have no idea where that orginated thats just what we called my grandpa.

1 mom found this helpful

E.D.

answers from Seattle on

I call my dad Papa. I called one of my grandfathers Opa, and the other (who I never met) déduška.

My father is Grandpa to my kids. He's waiting for the kids to pick a "better" name.

1 mom found this helpful

D.M.

answers from Rapid City on

My actual father and i have no relationship...his fault and his loss....as for my stepdad, I call him by his name. I will be okay with either grandpa or papa when my daughter calls him something. She's a little young yet.

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K.L.

answers from Waco on

I call my father Daddy, my girls call him Paw Paw and everyone else calls him Pops. Because his a dad to everyone! : )) The best one is my youngest calls my grandpa "Great Big Paw Paw"!! We always referred to him as great paw paw and she just stuck the big in there when she started talking! 8 years later he's still Great Big Paw Paw! LOL!

M.C.

answers from Pocatello on

I call my dad... dad. I called him "daddy" when I was little... like 7 and younger.

My daughter calls my husband "Dary" she is 2.5. His name is Gary, and it is a hybrid of Gary and Daddy... hehehe. I call him "daddy" when I am talking to her... but she still says "dary"

She calls my dad "Grandpa J...", my stepfather "Grandpa T..." and she calls my husband's father "Papa".

When i was little I called my dad's dad "Grumpa" - because he was always grumpy... hehehe!

-M.

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E.C.

answers from El Paso on

I call my father, daddy. My son calls him Papaw.

My son calls his father Papa, and my husbands father, Abuelito

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S.R.

answers from Odessa on

In our early years, we lived in an extended family home withour grandparents and my mother and dad called my grandparents "mother" and "daddy" and the grandparents called them by their first names, so we did and everbody was cool with that. Then when we got to be adolescents we noticed that other people didn't refer to their moms and dads that way and while we changed what we called my mom - it was still "Billie" for my dad. The change came with the birth of my children and then it was Papa (pronounced "paw-paw") Billie and that is how he is referred to by our entire family now including the next generation which are his great-grandchildren.

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M.J.

answers from Harrisburg on

I call my father, Dad. Lol and my two year old daughter calls him, Pop Pop or Papa.

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J.C.

answers from Rockford on

I call my dad "dad". My boys call him Bop. When my oldest was little he could not say grandpa, so he say bapa. So, my parents became bapa and bama, which was later shortened to bop and bom. Oddly enough, his other grandpa became bumpa, so I guess that was his progression in pronouncing grandpa. Now that my boys are 16 and 17, they feel a little funny calling them that, so they are starting to call them grandma and grandpa. I miss hearing bop & bom :(

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B.G.

answers from Houston on

I am 30 years old and still call my dad Daddy. The grandkids call him Pop.

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R.D.

answers from Kansas City on

My dad is Dad to me and Grandpa to my son. I still (very rarely) call him Daddy when being humble, but mostly call him Grandpa (+ last name) for my son's benefit.

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R.L.

answers from Houston on

My dad is Dad or Daddy, my kids call him Grampa. My husbands stepfather is Grampa Billy, my stepfather chose to be called Zappa. I am privileged to still have my maternal grandfather and I call him Papa (my grandmother is called Nanny). My husband's grandparents are Ma Mere and Pa Pere. I love creative names for grandparents depending on how the children pronounce the names, I think thats great, so cute!

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M.B.

answers from Washington DC on

Absent. Troubled. Dead-Beat Dad, Dead-Beat Grandpa? LOL.

My FIL (much better fella), is Grandpa. I call him Grandpa, too:)

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C.B.

answers from Austin on

My Dad was Daddy or Dad to me, Granddaddy to the kids. He was willing to wait until they could say all that! My husband's dad was called by his first name, Ray, by his older kids and Pawpaw by the grandkids. My step grandfather was called Pappy by the family, but I (first grandchild) couldn't pronounce that and said Poppaday. All of our town called him Poppaday. My other grandfather was Gampo.
We're grandparents now and are Grandmere and Grandpere (we lived in France). My ex is Daddio and his wife is Grania (both Irish versions). It was fun to choose!

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C.P.

answers from Houston on

My father will always be Daddy to me. To my children and granddaughter he was Pha-Pha, named by my son, the first grandchild. (At first it sounded like Popeye, and he was having a fit about that name, but by the 3rd visit, it settled into Pha-Pha.) My father in law, from day one, was always Pa and that is how he introduced himself to my son when he was born. I will never forget the first time he saw his first born grandchild/grandson, he said, "Come to Pa." They are both now deceased.
My husband was always Daddy, but when the kids became adults (that title is questionable), it became Dad.
My granddaughter calls him Poppee; for awhile she did call him Granddaddy but decided that was a mouthful. On occasions she does call him Papa.
A neighbor is Pops, a close family friend is Papa Berry; but my all time favorite, that I found out about AFTER my husband was already known as Poppee by our one grandchild, is G-Daddy. A friend of my daughter had a dad that felt he was TOO YOUNG to be a Grampa or Granddaddy, so he shortened it to G-Daddy.

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D.T.

answers from Muncie on

To my daughter my Dad is Crumppa, my husband's is Cramppa.

My Dad to me is Daddy or Dad.

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