Doodlebug
In Appalachian and Southern speech, "doodlebug" is most often an affectionate nickname for a child. Traditionally, it also referred to the antlion larva, a small insect known for digging funnel-shaped traps in sandy soil.
Hillbilly Dude Says...
I've only heard doodlebug used as a nickname for kids. Hillbilly Dude Says...
I've only heard doodlebug used as a nickname for kids. Pronunciation
[DOO-d’l-bug]
Meaning & Usage
- Affectionate nickname for a child (noun)
Mae:
C’mere, doodlebug, time for supper.
C’mere, doodlebug, time for supper.
Earl:
She answers to that quicker’n her real name.
She answers to that quicker’n her real name.- Antlion larva (noun, older farm sense)
Mae:
See them little funnels? That’s where doodlebugs live.
See them little funnels? That’s where doodlebugs live.
Earl:
We’d drop ants in ‘em and watch the trap.
We’d drop ants in ‘em and watch the trap.variations: nickname for child, antlion larva, bug in the dirt, term of endearment, doodle, little one, critter
★ Though kids today mostly know "doodlebug" as a nickname, the word comes straight out of country life, where both bugs and babies got called by it. ★
Origin and Etymology
"Doodlebug" has been recorded since the 1800s. The "bug" sense referred to antlion larvae that made cone-shaped traps in loose dirt. Families extended it as a playful pet name for children, a use that’s still strong in Appalachia and the South.
Usage Notes
Today, the nickname sense is most common. The insect sense survives in older farm memories and regional folklore - kids used to chant "doodle, doodle, doodle" at the pits to draw the bugs out.
Say It Like a Southerner
Say it playful: "doodlebug." Works best as a pet name for children.
Kin Topics
Related Pages
How to Cite This Page
- APA (7th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, August 25). Doodlebug. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/doodlebug
- MLA (9th edition)"The Hillbilly Dude." "Doodlebug." HillbillySlang.com, 25 Aug. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/doodlebug.
- Chicago (17th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. "Doodlebug." HillbillySlang.com. August 25, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/doodlebug.
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