Miley Cyrus and Her Mom Are So Close That She Calls Her by Her First Name

When Miley Cyrus and mom Tish Cyrus-Purcell appeared in the Hannah Montana anniversary special, fans noticed that Miley sometimes calls her mom by her first name rather than, well, Mom. Some wanted to know why Miley calls her mom Tish and if the same goes for how Miley addresses dad, Billy Ray Cyrus.

Although there have been public issues among the family members, and Billy Ray and Tish are no longer married, Miley has been open about her relationships with her respective parents over the years. When it comes to Tish, the pair is extremely close, and Tish was there with her every step of the way for Hannah Montana and beyond.

Miley has never explicitly said why she calls her mom Tish instead of Mom. However, she does seem to alternate between referring to her mom as Mom and referring to her by her first name. It likely stems from their close relationship, which seems to be a friendship in addition to a mother/daughter bond between the two.

Not only has Tish been with Miley throughout her entire life and career, but over time, they have developed a bond closer than some parents have with their children. In May 2025, Miley spoke to The New York Times about her song "End of the World" on her "Something Beautiful" album being about when she and her mom were apart during a trip that Tish took to Italy.

"I had never had my mom leave the country without me before," she told the outlet. "I'm too old to feel that way, but that's how I felt. And my mom called me and said, 'I don't know why, but I want to cry today. I'm looking out my window, and there's nothing out there for me, because you're back home.'"

Miley also admitted that the idea of someday being without her mom "completely paralyzes" her. It might be because of this close friendship outside of their mother/daughter relationship that Miley sometimes calls her mom Tish instead of her traditional title as her mom.

Miley has admitted to issues with her dad over the years. In June 2025, Miley appeared on the Reclaiming podcast, where she admitted to siding with mom Tish during Tish and Billy Ray's 2022 divorce. This led to some issues between Miley and Billy Ray, which fans clocked through social media posts at the time.

However, in May 2025, she posted in her Instagram Stories, per TODAY, that she now prioritizes family. That includes Billy Ray.

"My dad and I have had our challenges over the years," she wrote at the time. "Now, in my thirties, family is my priority above all else. I'm at peace knowing bridges have been built and time has done a lot of healing. Grateful for the good health and love that flows through my family."