Gransnet forums

Ask a gran

Grandma , Nana what other name options ?

(71 Posts)
Lizzle10 Thu 20-Feb-20 08:29:45

Had an amazing weekend visiting my first grandson who’s just a few days old , my DS and DIL have asked what I’d like to be called . I wanted to be nanny but DIL mum is going to be that so they don’t want two nannys . I don’t fancy grandma I thought maybe nana , I’m sure he will cal me all sorts but I guess I need a ‘title’ . Any suggestions for something a little different plz

dragonfly46 Thu 20-Feb-20 08:32:01

I am Granny. Makes me feel warm and cuddly.

Curlywhirly Thu 20-Feb-20 08:34:22

Grammy.

grannysyb Thu 20-Feb-20 08:35:06

I am Granny, same as the other grandmother.

ninathenana Thu 20-Feb-20 08:36:02

Congratulations on your new grandson.
I have no suggestions but will say that I chose to be nana which was fine until GSx2 could talk. They both call me and other GM nannie and can't be persuaded otherwise.

Missfoodlove Thu 20-Feb-20 08:36:44

I am Teeta, my the Egyptian for Grandma, I am used to it now but still get looks!
My husband is Giddu. .

Greenfinch Thu 20-Feb-20 08:39:14

I am also Granny to three of my grandchildren. I like it because my Mum was called that by my children. The other two have their own name for me.

MawB Thu 20-Feb-20 08:41:27

I am granny to the first three, then for no apparent reason, next DGS called me Janny so that has stuck and so I am also referred to as Janny by my youngest daughter who lives near them. Wonder if it will stick?

MawB Thu 20-Feb-20 08:43:16

PS I think it is lovely to use grandparental names from other cultures if that is a child’s heritage. My maternal GPs were always Oma and Opa as they were German

Anniebach Thu 20-Feb-20 08:43:19

I am Granny, but my younger granddaughter has called me
Bro since she was 5.

GagaJo Thu 20-Feb-20 08:43:41

I was going to be granny. It's what I called my grandmothers. But, as always, my grandson had different ideas. I'm Gaga. I think the boy knows something I don't.

V3ra Thu 20-Feb-20 08:47:46

Another Granny here, much to my daughter's surprise as she'd assumed I'd be grandma!
We already had two great-grandmas in the family (my Mum and mother-in-law, so my daughter's grandmas), and her partner's mum is nanny, so I wanted something different.
My Dad's mum was granny to me, so I resurrected the title and I love it ?

GrannySomerset Thu 20-Feb-20 08:50:41

Never fancied the nanny variants so am granny to all three GC. Mr S is Barbar - GD1’s early attempt at grandpa, which has stuck.

Witzend Thu 20-Feb-20 08:52:43

I’m Granny, and so is the other. I wouldn’t have wanted to be anything else, though they both called me Nanny before they could say the G word so of course I was happy with that.

They just add the name if necessary. Was ditto with my own dds, Granny R and Granny S.
Our dhs are Grandpa and Granddad though.

Marydoll Thu 20-Feb-20 08:53:31

I'm gran, as the other gran insisted on being called granny.

DGD sometimes calls me Marydoll, as she hears others call me that thinks that she is being very bold and clever! grin
I don't care what she calls me, I'm just happy that she is in my life.

Pantglas2 Thu 20-Feb-20 08:55:39

I’m Nain - Welsh for grandmother which is what I always wanted to be called. My friend has ended up with a name she doesn’t like due to mispronunciation and of course it’s too late to change it now.

Grannybags Thu 20-Feb-20 08:59:22

I'm Granny too.

My Mum died 4 weeks before my first grandchild was born and she was Granny so I had big shoes to fill!

TerriBull Thu 20-Feb-20 09:05:55

I'm nana, mainly because that's what I called my grandmothers, who were Wimbledon nana and Sussex nana respectively. My mother always referred to her remaining grandmother who was around till I was about 18 months, as grandma. I realise now I kind of like that, although it is a tad ageing.

Harris27 Thu 20-Feb-20 09:13:19

I’m nana that’s what my mam was called and I’ve followed on.my mil was gran till the day she died. I remember one phone call off dil asking what grand real name was! Funny how things come back it’s two years today since she died and reading this thread brought some memories back to me.

kittylester Thu 20-Feb-20 09:14:02

I didnt fancy being called by any of the traditional names but DD1 (mother of our first dgc) had really loved her grandpa (dh's father) and wanted her son to have one too. Dh was happy so I reluctantly agreed to be grandma. Dgs1 had other ideas though and we became Ma and Pa which suits me fine.

I've mentioned my mum before - she was supposed to be Nana but DS1 could only manage Anna so she was called that by all her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Teetime Thu 20-Feb-20 09:17:34

I quite fancied Grandmama said in imperious tones but I am Nanna.

Lovetopaint037 Thu 20-Feb-20 09:28:06

I’m nan as that is what we called our grandmothers and the custom continued.

May7 Thu 20-Feb-20 09:38:13

My great grandmother was called Mam by all generations. I was 14 before I realised this meant mother and it wasnt her first name.
My grandmothers were both nanny and then became nan as we got older. I'm nanny now and I bless the day it happened.
Heard singing I love my nanny the most precious words to me

timetogo2016 Thu 20-Feb-20 09:42:46

I am Grandma to my biological grandchildren and nanny to my stepchildren.

MiniMoon Thu 20-Feb-20 09:55:24

I'm Granny to my four grandchildren. One of the boys has speech difficulties and is attending speech therapy, he calls me Dandy as he can't pronounce the gr sound. I like it, it makes me different from other Grannies. I'll be a little bit sad when he learns how to say Granny properly.