“Abba Isn’t ‘Daddy'” said the late James Barr, scholar.
“Abba Isn’t Daddy” repeats Steve Caruso, Aramaic translator, even on his more scholarly Aramaic Designs About Page.
He quotes Mary Rose D’Angelo, who’s said:
The NT itself gives quite a different reading of αββα. Each of the three occurrences of αββα in the NT is followed by the Greek translation ο πατερ, “the father.” This translation makes clear its meaning to the writers; the form is a literal translation — “father” plus a definite article — and like abba can also be a vocative. But it is not a diminutive of “babytalk” form. There are Greek diminutives of father (e.g., παππας [pappas]), and the community chose not to use them.
Which sounds like what Barr’s said:
“The myth survives” nonetheless, says Caruso. And still lots of pastors and Bible bloggers and scholars have rather conclusively concluded that “Abba Isn’t Daddy.”
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James' Ramblings 