However, P, B, and M are all “labial” sounds, i.e. sounds made by simply closing the lips except B is accompanied by a vibration of the vocal cords and M is accompanied by that and also rerouting the air from the lungs through the nose (a vocalic nasal bilabial). So, it isn’t surprising that we find “baba” among the “mama” “papa” mix, either referring to the parents or grandparents (e.g. Yiddish bubby for “grandmother.

Smacking the lips is associated with hunger so, most probably, we misperceive our babies calling for their parents when they really only mean, “Feed me.”

In words relating to mother and female and as the basis for the word mammal (named because they generally nurse young), this “ma” sound is found.

It would be interesting to see how many different lanugaes had a “ma” sound as reference to mother or female

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