Why do so many people on MN say ‘mom’ instead of ‘mum’?

[Waitingforthesunnydays]

Yes I know this is the internet so there may be American users on here. The vast majority are British though. I also know there’s parts of England where ‘mom’ is used rather than ‘mum’ but those two things really don’t account for how often I see posters writing it as ‘mom’. Is this another Americanism that’s creeping in or are there much more parts of the country where mom is used than I thought?…

My SIL is from Shrewsbury and my nephews call her mom

This is quite fascinating! My dad hailed from Birmingham and referred to his mother as "Mam." In contrast, my cousins from the same area always called her "Mum." Interestingly, I never encountered anyone using "Mom" during my visits, but that was quite a while back. It's intriguing how language and preferences can differ even within the same region! My Mum was Welsh and also used Mam. We used to call her Mum.

They don't even have to be bored. Curiosity is fun. Language usage is always interesting. I love it when lively Mumsnet minds converge on something small and fascinating.

I’m very familiar with one of those Welsh hotspots and I reckon it is entirely due to the huge number of Brummies that have moved here.

I’m from London and lived in south east , north and West Country but only heard of Mom in uk when I married someone from the West Midlands . I drew the line at being called if myself tho as to me it reminds me of USA spelling . Must say none of my friends here in the West Mids are mom all are mum to their kids .

Could well be - they do get about and wales is lovely - we're originally from midlands and in wales now.

I grew up near east/west midlands boarder and heard both Mum and mom regularly. Dad family was from west and mums more SE midlands.

I don't think it's as clear cut divide usuage many seem to be expecting but more pettering in and out in pockets as part of wider regional trends.

I didn't encounter personally mam till met DH from Nott area.

its not just Birmingham and Wolverhampton. “Mom” is commonly used all the way into parts of Shropshire (Bridgnorth, Telford, and the bits as you’re heading towards Kidderminster too). I also hear it in parts of Worcestershire, most especially the older generations.

Just be grateful it's not the nausea-inducing "Mam".

As an aside, growing up in Shropshire about half of us would use “mom” and half of us used “mum”. When as an adult I learnt that “mom” was a West Midlands thing, I thought about which of my friends used which word. All of my friends whose parents moved to Shropshire from Birmingham and the Black Country used “mum”. All my friends whose family, like mine, had lived in Shropshire for generations used “mom”. I can’t explain that one as the opposite would make much more sense!

I've worked all over the UK and Mom is definitely used in the West Midlands me duck.

'ey up, me duck!

I left Derby when I was 18. Five decades later and I still miss that greeting!

I was just thinking I’ve not seen the ‘mom’ thread in a few weeks.

What's nausea inducing about it? The word Mam is the oldest of the lot!

Forgot the image!

Yes I can't say I've noticed it all that much.

Yes! DP's dad is from the Kerry Gaelteacht and says mom. I love it :). Presume from the Irish, A Mham. DP and his brother say 'ma' as in mah, one sister says mam and the other says mom. All grew up in Dublin.

My Dublin city mum and (Irish) Midlands dad both said mammy. My siblings and I all say mum (Dublin suburbs).

Huge variety in our little sample alone :)

Quite a lot of places use Mom, but I don’t see it all the time on here. I’m Mum to DS1 (31) and Mama to DS (21) and DD (17). I was Mummy for a time with DS1 but always been mama with youngest.

I suspect that there's a touch of snobbery in @VegBox 's nausea!

Eh? What's wrong with mam?

"Duck" and Derby are both East, not West, Midlands!

I'm from Birmingham
It is just how we say it here.

Brummie here and it’s always been mom!

Can’t say I’ve noticed more ‘mom’ than usual. I’d say the majority by a long way write ‘mum’.

I know! I lived there FFS! I was just picking up on that poster's use of 'me duck'. Nothing to do with the subject of the thread.

I’m a yamyam and I’ve just been to see my mom. It’s always mom here.