What is the Marmee is Mommy theory? I always thought Marmee was the word the family used for "mother person", sort of like some people call their grandmas 'nanny'.

I'd always figured that, too, until someone pointed out that "Marmee," said with a New England accent, sounds almost the same as "Mommy."

I think I just made that up, but it makes so much sense to me!

That it's actually "Mommy" spelled with a Massachusetts accent.

OH! Although, I sort of feel that Meg and Jo were much too old to call their mother "mommy". Of course, my mother hated ALL the nicknames and actually insisted, from the time I was a small child, that I call her "Mother".

I sort of feel that Meg and Jo were much too old to call their mother "mommy"

I still call my mother Mummy -- and it's not strange, culturally. It may just be a time and place thing.

I switched from Mommy and Daddy to Mom and Dad when I was about 6. However, my brothers (who were all teenagers when I was born, so it's not strange we use different terminology) all still say Mother and Daddy. Which sounds weird, but AFAIK isn't that uncommon in the South.

I always thought "Marmee" was just a "mother name". Although the phonetic spelling of "mommy" makes sense, even though *I* don't think I pronounce "mommy" that way, and I'm from Massachusetts. Heh.

Actually, I think the more typical New England name for mother was "mummy."

Which sounds weird, but AFAIK isn't that uncommon in the South.

That's what my dad from SE Texas called his folks.

Mostly, it's mom...sometimes "Mama' if I'm feeling Elvis.

Mother and Daddy. Which sounds weird, but AFAIK isn't that uncommon in the South.

Not uncommon at all. I call my parents Mom and Daddy. But, they both called their mothers, Mother.

I call my parents Mama and Daddy, and they're in their 70s.