Australian Slang For Dad (Revealed!)

The most common and uniquely Australian slang terms for dad are “ol’ man” and “oldies,” which can refer to both parents as well. These are used more or less universally across the country and are understood by just about everyone. Australians also use many generic English slang terms for father like pops and papa.

Relationships with one’s father can be a touchy subject, and it can be very different for everyone.

But those of us who were fortunate enough to grow up with loving and attentive fathers find ourselves, as a result, needing a variety of slang terms to mark out the identity of our own unique relationships.

This is just as true in Australia as it is anywhere else, so let’s find out about some of this slang.

In This Article

What do Australians call dads?

It’s worth clarifying, before we dive into the slang, that Australians are most likely simply to use the word “dad” in most cases.

“Dad” itself can be called slang for father, and this universal and generic English language term for dad is the most common in Australia.

Other than that, the most common Australian slang term for dad is “ol’ man”.

This one is used just about everywhere in Australia for your father, and just about everyone will understand it.

It’s not geographically limited to a particular region or Australian dialect, so where ever you are in Australia, there’s a good chance this is the most common slang term for dad.

It’s also not limited by demographic—both young and old of all backgrounds at least know this term if they don’t use it themselves.

It can be used both as a form of address and a noun. “Hey ol’ man, how’s it going?” for example.

Another common one you may hear used is “oldies”.

This one isn’t quite as specific as it can also refer to both of your parents rather than just your dad.

However, for this reason, it is going to be one of the main ways you hear Australians refer to their dad since naturally your parents are often referred to as a group.

“I’ve got the oldies visiting for the weekend,” for example.

Beyond these terms, the most likely slang terms you’ll hear used for father in Australia are more broadly used and generic terms such as “pop,” “pops”, “papa”, or even “daddy” for some people.

Which of these a person uses can depend on a lot of subtle and hard-to-quantify factors, but ultimately they are all used by Australians.

Let’s find out where these terms come from.

Why do Australians say “ol’ man”?

“Old man” is a very common term generally for a father, which is used throughout the English speaking world.

It is perhaps most commonly associated with the U.S., where it is one of the most common slang ways to refer to your dad.

It is also used in Britain, although to a somewhat lesser degree and it tends to be more regional there.

So, in a way, it is inevitable that this phrase would spread to Australia.

However, the abbreviation of “ol’,” while it may seem subtle and inconsequential makes all the difference.

Of course, it is also often abbreviated in U.S. English too, but again the subtle differences make it very uniquely Australian in its usage and connotation.

It’s not clear when this started being used in Australia and, indeed, it may simply always have been used.

For centuries people have been referring to their fathers as the old man or my old man, and it happens to have endured in Australia to be one of the most popular slang terms for dad.

Why do Australians say “oldies”?

Oldies, as I said, tends to be used, more often for both parents as a group.

However, it still becomes for this reason one of the most common slang terms for dad in Australia.

Again, the term itself is fairly self-explanatory.

Our parents get “older” as we age, naturally, so we start referring to them, endearingly, as the “oldies”.

You might refer to your dad alone as the “oldie”.

When this term started being used is, again, very hard to say.

It’s plainly very old and probably came into popular use in Australia in the 19^th Century.

Beyond this, there’s not much we can say for sure.

Why do Australians say “Pops”?

Pops or pop is a fairly old term in the English language that has been used to refer to fathers for a long time.

It is first recorded in 1838 in American English, though naturally given its colloquial nature it must predate this by some time.

It was a shortened form of “papa,” which was derived from the Old French papa which was a children’s word for father.

It probably was not adopted in Australia until sometime later.

It may have been brought over verbally by sailors and travelers to Australia, but the more likely option is that it was popularized through American movies and TV in the 20^th Century.

There are a few different slang terms for father depending on the specifics of the relationship, but the most quintessentially Australian example is certainly “ol’ man”.

This term is understood if not used universally in Australia and has been for a very long time as far as we can tell.

Other slang terms are far from completely unused, so you may also hear something like “pops” or “papa” again depending on the specific circumstances.

More in Australian Slang

Founder - @PollyWebster

Polly Webster is the founder of Foreign Lingo and a seasoned traveler with a decade of exploration under her belt.

Over the past 10 years, she has journeyed to numerous countries around the globe, immersing herself in diverse cultures, traditions, and languages.

Drawing from her rich experiences, Polly now writes insightful articles about travel, languages, traditions, and cultures, sharing her unique perspectives and invaluable tips with her readers.

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