History Main / ParentalTitleCharacterization

* As mentioned in the ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'' example, languages with [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-V_distinction T-V distinction]] can create an added question on whether children address their parents or vice versa with the formal or informal "you". Whereas a few old-fashioned households have the parents addressing the children informally and the children addressing the parents formally, this is increasingly seen as overly formal as the terms "Mother" and "Father" and thus only the informal form is used both ways. Some might also address their grandparents formally if they see their own parents doing so.

* In ''Literature/HarryPotter,'' all of the Weasley kids refer to their parents as "Mum" and "Dad," except for Percy, who calls them "Mother" and "Father" to show that he's stuffy and overly-serious. [[spoiler:After a three-year estrangement, [[YouCalledMeXItMustBeSerious he calls Arthur "Dad" when apologizing to him]]]].
** In a sort of meta example: the American edition of the books changes most of the British slang. Creator/JKRowling is fine with this, but was aghast that [[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheSorcerersStone the first book]] had the Weasleys calling Molly "Mom" instead of "Mum," which was changed in the later books.

* ''WebAnimation/FreezeFlame''.
** ''WebAnimation/{{Carl}}''

** ''Carl''

** ''Bowser's Koopalings'':

* In the English dub of the second season of ''LightNovel/SwordArtOnline'', Asuna alternates between using "Mother" and "Mom" on Kyouko, using the former in more tense moments, and the latter when they're getting along better. She also meekly obeys a request to come to dinner with a "Yes, ma'am."

* The intro to "What Is This Feeling?" in ''Theatre/{{Wicked}}'' [[EstablishingCharacterMoment establishes the differences]] between the two main characters by how they address their parents. The spoiled DaddysGirl Glinda refers to her parents by the cutesy-sounding "dearest, darlingest Momsie and Popsicle". On the other hand, Elphaba (who is more serious and has a distant relationship with her father) refers to her father as "my dear Father".

** In regards to [[HasTwoDaddies her two dads]], Anastasia refers to Monty (the [[EvilOldFolks older]], [[CorruptCorporateExecutive wealthier]], and [[AloofLeaderAffableSubordinate more aloof]] of the two) as "Father", while the younger and [[NiceGuy sweeter]] Waylon is referred to as "Daddy". Both of these titles are fitting for Anastasia's character ("Father" is [[AntiquatedLinguistics old-fashioned]] and [[ProperLady polite]], while "Daddy" is stereotypically often used by [[SpoiledBrat spoiled rich girls]]), but who she refers to with what title also says something about how she perceives each parent.
** The ''other'' character with [[HasTwoDaddies two dads]], Simon, distinguishes between them in a very different way. He calls them both by their professional titles followed by "Dad"; Principal Skinner is "Principal Dad" and Superintendent Chalmers is "Superintendent Dad". (Think [[WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfSuperMarioBros3 how the Koopa Kids refer to their father as "King Dad"]].) While the use of "Dad" instead of "Father" or "[[CallingParentsByTheirName Seymour/Gary]]" does establish that he has a close relationship with his parents ([[ClingyChild which he very much does]]), the appended title is a reflection of Simon's stiffness, formality, and [[AcademicAlphaBitch obsession with his education]].

* Even her closest blood relatives have to address Queen UsefulNotes/ElizabethII as "Your Majesty" in formal situations. Apparently, official protocol dictates that when first meeting Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh in the morning, even her immediate family have to call them "Your Majesty" or "Your Royal Highness" on the first encounter of the day. It is believed the current monarch is more informal than that to her children and grandchildren. Apparently.

** Much fuss has been made about UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}} regularly calling his mother Mary "woman" throughout the Bible (especially the Literature/GospelOfJohn). Note that calling someone "woman" was ''much'' less disrespectful in ancient Greek or Aramaic than it is in modern-day English, and was actually the ''formal'' way to address women (kinda like "Ma'am"). But even by those cultural standards, it was a very impersonal and abnormal way to address ''your own mother'' in particular. Interestingly, Catholic and Protestant commentators have read this in almost opposite ways; [[https://aleteia.org/2018/06/09/why-did-jesus-call-the-blessed-mother-woman/ Catholics]] typically see it as Jesus comparing Mary to Eve in a CallBack to the Literature/BookOfGenesis, while [[https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-Mary-woman.html Protestants]] typically read it as Jesus saying he takes orders from his divine parent instead of his human one.

* Taken one step further in a flashback to Arnold Rimmer's childhood in ''Literature/RedDwarf'', in which his father - who is also his professor at college - admonishes Arnold for calling him "father" and insists on "Sir" or "Professor Rimmer".

* WesternAnimation/KimPossible usually refers to her parents as "Mom" and "Dad" like a typical teen. But when she wants to be taken seriously, she'll call her Mom "Mother" (she never does the gender-equivalent with her Dad, due to her father's tendency to be an OverprotectiveDad who still treats her like a little girl). And when she's in an affectionate mood and plays up her cuteness on the occasions where she accepts and wants her father's [[MyBelovedSmother smothering]], she'll refer to him as "Daddy".

* Much fuss has been made about UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}} regularly calling his mother Mary "woman" throughout Literature/TheBible (especially the Literature/GospelOfJohn). Note that calling someone "woman" was ''much'' less disrespectful in ancient Greek or Aramaic than it is in modern-day English, and was actually the ''formal'' way to address women (kinda like "Ma'am"). But even by those cultural standards, it was a very impersonal and abnormal way to address ''your own mother'' in particular. Interestingly, Catholic and Protestant commentators have read this in almost opposite ways; [[https://aleteia.org/2018/06/09/why-did-jesus-call-the-blessed-mother-woman/ Catholics]] typically see it as Jesus comparing Mary to Eve in a CallBack to the Literature/BookOfGenesis, while [[https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-Mary-woman.html Protestants]] typically read it as Jesus saying he takes orders from his divine parent instead of his human one.

** The ''other'' character with [[HasTwoDaddies two dads]], Simon, distinguishes between them in a very different way. He calls them both by their professional titles followed by "Dad"; Principal Skinner is "Principal Dad" and Superintendent Chalmers is "Superintendent Dad". (Think [[WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfSuperMarioBros3 how the Koopa Kids refer to their father as "King Dad"]], or [[WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball how Darwin Watterson refers to his parents as "Mrs. Mom" and "Mr. Dad"]]. While the use of "Dad" instead of "Father" or "[[CallingParentsByTheirName Seymour/Gary]]" does establish that he has a close relationship with his parents ([[ClingyChild which he very much does]]), the appended title is a reflection of Simon's stiffness, formality, and [[AcademicAlphaBitch obsession with his education]].

* In ''Series/{{Vida}}'', the Hernandez sisters' relationship with their late mother is clearly demonstrated by how they address her. Emma, who is still angry and hurt about [[spoiler: being sent away for liking girls]], calls her by her full name, Vidalia. Lyn had a much warmer relationship with her and calls her "Mommy".

* ''LightNovel/MyNextLifeAsAVillainessAllRoutesLeadToDoom'':
** In the novels, Keith mentions that as an illegitimate child, he was not allowed to call his father or his wife "Father or "Mother." Even after finding a more loving home with Catarina and her parents, he calls Catarina's father "Duke Claes" and Catarina's mother "Madam Claes" in his narration, despite he was adopted by Duke Luigi Claes for the express purpose of being his future ''heir''.
** Catarina uses "Okaa-sama" on her mother ("Mother" in English), since her mother is a noblewoman who is strict about etiquette. [[spoiler:When Catarina wakes up in a dream of her old life as "the monkey girl," she calls her mother that. The monkey girl's mother is rather confused, presumably more used to being called "Okaa-san" ("Mom").]]

** In ''Birthright'', the Avatar generally calls their father Garon "King Garon, or just "Garon," as a result of no longer considering him a father. Just before the final battle, the Avatar gets upset enough to call him "[[HeyYou old man]]" when [[spoiler:he only shows mild surprise after hearing that two of his children just died]].

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': The affluent Weiss calls her abusive father "Father". In contrast, she has a better (but still troubled) relationship with her mother, who she calls "Mom".

* ''Film/BigJake'': James, a man in his twenties, mockingly calls his estranged father Jacob McCandles "daddy" in one scene. As he is resentful for Jacob abandoning him and his family years ago. Jacob punches him in retaliation and orders him to never refer him by that again.

* ''Literature/ArtemisFowl'': When Artemis and his father are reunited after several years, Artemis slips into this. Fowl Sr. shakes his head, remembering that he was indeed that stern and demanding, but has now reverted to the personality his wife was attracted to (that he no longer has to deal with TheMafiya probably helps).

* Even her closest blood relatives have to address the Queen as "Your Majesty" in formal situations. Apparently, official protocol dictates that when first meeting Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh in the morning, even her immediate family have to call them "Your Majesty" or "Your Royal Highness" on the first encounter of the day. It is believed the current monarch is more informal than that to her children and grandchildren. Apparently.

** When Mr. Burns is talking to his mother in [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/TheSimpsonsS7E17HomerTheSmithers "Homer the Smithers"]], he refers to her as "Mater", an [[TheEdwardianEra early-20th-century]] slang term for "mother". This, alongside other instances of Mr. Burns using AntiquatedLinguistics, establishes that he is very old and very behind-the-times.

* Utilised iconically in ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''. Bart frequently calls his father, Homer, by first name or other more derogatory titles to display his cocky impudence (though he also calls him "Dad"). In the original shorts, Lisa did similar to show her similar bratty characterization, though when she diverged into a more precocious, well-behaved child, she started referring to him solely as "Dad". As shown in the flashback episode "Lisa's First Word", both kids referred to Homer by first name even as a toddler, building up to the heartwarming final scene where Maggie calls him "Daddy", though out of earshot.

* As mentioned in the ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'' example, languages with [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%E2%80%93V_distinction T-V distinction]] can create an added question on whether children address their parents or vice versa with the formal or informal "you". Whereas a few old-fashioned households have the parents addressing the children informally and the children addressing the parents formally, this is increasingly seen as overly formal as the terms "Mother" and "Father" and thus only the informal form is used both ways. Some might also address their grandparents formally if they see their own parents doing so.