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Gran or Nan?

(169 Posts)
Cherrytree59 Sat 22-Aug-15 00:50:48

I am a Gran in a long line of Grans. At our local Grandparent/grandchild group I am the only Gran, the others are Nan, Nana or Nanny. Does what DGCs choose to call their grandmothers sometimes down to regional variations? ie I think Nanny is a Midland term .

Nelliemoser Sat 22-Aug-15 09:46:20

I am Nanan which is a common term where my DGS's live. T'other gran is Grandma.
My mum was called Nanny E* and my MiL Nanny I***. My mother flatly refused to be called Grandma or Granny which to me sounds like someone really ancient. (Sorry Grannies but I don't know why.)
It was Grandad T and Grandpa M for the Grandads.

Anniebach Sat 22-Aug-15 09:49:51

I am Granny but To the youngest I have been Bro since she was seven , now sixteen and I am still her Bro, result of playing Super Mario

Ruthyo Sat 22-Aug-15 09:52:21

I wanted to be Nana as I personally don't like Grandma, Nanny, Granny etc!
However my first granddaughter who was an early talker just kept saying "Needa" so that's who I am and I love it!

Nelliemoser Sat 22-Aug-15 09:54:12

Greyduster I know where you mean. My DD seems to spell Nanan with one N in the middle. Maybe because she is not really "from round these parts".

NannyGoat12345 Sat 22-Aug-15 10:47:10

I am known as Nanny Goat, really smile When my son and his partner knew they were expecting, they asked what I wanted to be known as, I said Nanny Goat as a joke and that's what I have become, sometimes my grand-daughter just calls me Goat, which I don't object to, my husband is Grand-dad Dinosaur, so it could be worse! My own mum is known to the grandchildren as Nanny Old grin

granjura Sat 22-Aug-15 16:47:56

I am a Granny, sometimes Gwanny as a joke, and proud to be.

Always find it strange when grand-parents absolutely refuse to be called anything identifying them as grand-parents. Mind you, in the 70s we had friends who totally forbade their young children from calling them 'mum' and 'dad' - and were clearly instructed to call them by their first name?! Bizarre.

kittylester Sat 22-Aug-15 17:10:02

That was the 70s though granjura!

When my very hippyish niece told her mum that her first DGC was going to call her by her first name. My very mild mannered SiL announced in very strong terms that she had earned the right to be called granny and that was all she was prepared to answer to.

pompa Sat 22-Aug-15 17:22:58

Look back and see what previous grandmothers were called. I'm all for resurrecting old names. This is why I am called Pompa to all my GC, Pompa has been used for at least two generations in our family.

Coolgran65 Sat 22-Aug-15 18:07:11

I am Granny + Christian Name, and dh is Granda + Christian Name. Other grandchildren followed suit. My ds who lives abroad asked me what I wanted to be called....which still followed suit.

One maternal gp was referred to as Nanny and said definitely not.... that's a goat (of course that Granny lives on a farm)

Katek Sun 23-Aug-15 09:23:21

Two of ours also have an Opa as German great grandad is still alive.

Nandalot Sun 23-Aug-15 09:36:13

I'm Nana ( or Nan or Nanny). It was the first sort of 'word' the GCs made so I thought I'll have that! My grandmother was Gran/Granny but my mum was Nan (partly to distinguish her from Gran, partly because she felt it sounded younger) so no district tradition.
My DH is Grandad though the Twins had trouble with that at first and used to call him Dada. He is balding and grey- haired soI often wondered what people thought. He is sad that the last twin, DGS, now says Grandad.

chloe1984 Sun 23-Aug-15 09:54:13

The two grandmothers are known as little nana and big nana no guesses as to which one I amhmm

inishowen Sun 23-Aug-15 10:40:15

As a child I had a Nain and Taide. They were welsh and insisted on it. As an irish child this caused some amusement when I said it in front of friends.

MammaN Sun 23-Aug-15 10:40:39

I'm Mamma. My own DGM was Mamma but DM was Nana to my children (sounded younger apparently). DH is Grandad or Grumps.

Faraway43 Sun 23-Aug-15 10:41:29

I don't know who decided on nanny for the two nannies but my first grandson decided on Nanny Pippa after my dog.

BooBoo9 Sun 23-Aug-15 10:46:49

My grandchildren call me Nana Wendy. I don't want to known by a title only, so I think it's great that they use my name as well.

sallyc06 Sun 23-Aug-15 10:47:56

I am nana banana!!

Jeanniewoz Sun 23-Aug-15 10:52:07

I started as Grandie like my Mum but felt like I was taking her irreplaceable place so changed to Nana very quickly!

onneker Sun 23-Aug-15 10:52:09

I am known as Gaga (not pronounced as gaga=dotty but horribly close to it!). My grandson chose it so his sister followed suit although she often calls me Gag or Gaggie. I should hate it but it is used with such affection that I rather like it.

jankay123 Sun 23-Aug-15 10:52:54

When youngest son was little he couldn't say Grandad it was Diggar.Over the years it got shortened to DIG
Which he has been called ever since by everyone ,grandkids ,kids,friends,family.My son is 27 now so I guess Grandad will always be DIG.

Jan Sun 23-Aug-15 10:56:00

I'm Grandma to most; Grandma Jan to my stepgrandchildren; Granjan to one and to all the older grandchildren Gma as this is my "text name".

Lesley1 Sun 23-Aug-15 10:56:50

My grandkids call me grandma, my mam was granny and their fathers mother was Nan.

jellybeanjean Sun 23-Aug-15 10:57:48

I'm Grandma, although my DGD calls me Rama at the moment (she's only 2 1/2). My mum was Grandma to my two. I don't like Nanny; my MIL always liked to be called that, and her SIL used to call her the old goat! I think it's an age related thing; Grandma sounds old, Nanny sounds young. Or so I'm led to believe!

Diny Sun 23-Aug-15 11:00:02

I am a nana, same as the mum on dad's side of the family. I have always said that he will come with his own name to differentiate us two. He has! His other nana has 2 dogs so she is nana 2 dogs. My dog is called Scruffy, ....you guessed it, I am now Scruffy nana.

Eleanorre Sun 23-Aug-15 11:01:10

My daughter-in-law is not from this country and I was visiting at the same time as her mother was. The cleaning lady comes once a week and we were chatting to her when this lady explained to us that her children were being looked after by their nanny . You should have seen the look on my DDIL's mother's face . She could not believe that anyone who had a nanny for her children would clean for someone else . We do not have many nannys in Scotland as already said , they make me think of goats I am afraid.