Absolutely. You see, I’m not from Florida/California by way of the northeast. I grew up and lived for decades in southeast Texas, the Ozarks and another part of the Midwest before so many college-educated revisionists thought about moving south. Distinguishing between cottonmouths and water moccasins for locals who spent much time in natural waters was universal back then.
But so be it. Let the newcomers continue moving south and graduating from universities to revise. We once commonly swam and fished in those rivers, ponds, lakes and swamps.
I’m in the West now. Online statements from wildlife experts here sometimes resemble religion more than analytical advice.
My family has been in Florida since at least the 1700s.
I have never heard the term “water moccasin” use to describe anything other than a cottonmouth. There are some other water snakes which slightly resemble a cottonmouth but they are not called water moccasins.
It has just been my experience in rural north GA to call them the same thing.
Never really mattered to me as I pretty much avoided all snakes just as a matter of course. Didn’t stop me from getting bitten by scorpions or spiders tho.
Take care
FL