Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "cockney" tana nufin mutumin da ya fito daga Gabashin Ƙarshen London, musamman wanda aka haife shi da nisa daga kararrawa cocin St. Mary-le-Bow. Kalmar kuma tana da alaƙa da takamaiman yare da lafazin wanda mutanen London masu aiki a al'ada ke magana. A cikin amfani na zamani, ana iya amfani da kalmar dalla-dalla don komawa ga wanda ke magana da lafazin ƙaƙƙarfan lafazin Gabashin London, ba tare da la’akari da wurin haihuwarsu ba.