Momma or Mama or Mamma? Which is correct?

There are plenty of ways to address your mother, and what you call her depends on your culture, age, and personal preference. There are three common words people use to call their mother: momma, mama, and mamma. Which one is correct?

All three of the words are correct. Momma, mama, and mamma are all correct ways to call your mother. However, they are all informal and not a word you should be saying in a formal environment. Typically, these three words are said by young kids because they are easy to pronounce and help them learn about syllables. 

The rest of this article will cover what momma means, what mama means, and what mamma means.

What Momma Means

Momma is a unique slang word that’s used to describe a mother or woman. Although it is correct and you can call your mother it, “mama” is the more common spelling. Momma is a very informal way to say mom, and it’s said the most by little kids.

If you’re trying to teach your kids easy words to pronounce, momma is a word you should try. Not only that, but it’s very grammatically correct as opposed to the other two options. Momma is a word that can be used as a noun while the other two are nicknames kids give to their mothers.

What Mama Means

Out of the three terms, mama is the most popular. It’s the one you’ll see spelled out and said the most. It’s a perfectly fine word you can use to call your mother, and when you see parents teaching their kids to speak, you’ll hear them saying “mama” and “papa” to them.

Since “mama” is so easy to pronounce, most parents teach their child how to say it so they can call their mother in an easy way. That’s why mama is the most popular on this list, and why it’s such an easy word to learn.

What Mamma Means

It may seem redundant to have “mamma” be a spelling when “mama” exists, but that’s what makes “mamma” so unique. It’s the rarest spelling of “mama”. However, did you know that mamma is more grammatically correct than mama because it comes from the Latin word “mamma”?

Despite how mama is the most said, momma and mamma are the two that are more grammatically correct. Momma is the best when it comes to grammatical correctness. Regardless, all three are okay to use no matter how common or uncommon they are.