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Nan/Nana/Nanny

(65 Posts)
Grandma70s Thu 19-Apr-18 16:58:03

When did these names for grandparents start to be widely used? I never heard them until I grew up, and I still find them a bit puzzling. Grandma, Granny and Grandmother are the words familiar to me. I had a granny and a grandma, and so do my grandchildren (I’m Grandma). A nanny is a person who is employed to look after children at home, or so I always thought.

What's the male equivalent?

nanaK54 Thu 19-Apr-18 17:01:22

I am a 'nana' my choice smile, our grandchildren don't need to add my name a they do with granny Yvonne, granny Pat, granddad Des etc. etc.

nanaK54 Thu 19-Apr-18 17:02:00

as they do

nanaK54 Thu 19-Apr-18 17:03:38

Actually think 'Nan' has been around for years......sure some of my age group had 'nans' mine died before I was born so no chance for me to experience that

MawBroon Thu 19-Apr-18 17:06:22

In Scotland in my childhood “Pappa” was common for Grandpa. But other than that we always said Granny.

BlueBelle Thu 19-Apr-18 17:07:16

I had a Nanny then Nan as I got older 73 years ago so it’s definately not new

BlueBelle Thu 19-Apr-18 17:09:22

A grandma it very posh and quaintly old fashioned no one I knew had grandmas all my friends had nanny’s like me Nanny as a child minder only happened in the upper class circles not working class

kittylester Thu 19-Apr-18 17:13:19

I had a nanna and a poppa and a granny and grandpa.

My children had and Anna (DS1 got confused and it stuck) and a pop and a grandma and a grandpa.

NanaandGrampy Thu 19-Apr-18 17:17:39

My girls called my Mum Nana, and I called my grandmother Nana. It was commonplace in London when I was a child.

paddyann Thu 19-Apr-18 17:18:41

I had only one living granny but when we talked about the other she was granny as well and grandpa was my mums late dad.I'm granny to my 4 and OH is Papa (west of Scotland) they have great grans too and they are great grandma and nana ...that was nana's choice.I dont remember any one having a nanny or nana either in fact when we said my MIL wanted to be called nana by the GGcmy late mum said but isn't that the dog in Peter Pan .Must be an engish thing

cornishclio Thu 19-Apr-18 17:23:26

We always had a Nan or nanny. I am a nanny now.

Anniebach Thu 19-Apr-18 17:25:20

I am Granny, my grandfather was Grampa, my grandmothers died before I was born. My Mother called hers Granny and Gransha.

Grandma70s Thu 19-Apr-18 17:27:27

Yes, Nana is the dog in Peter Pan. He’s a nursemaid to the children! Nannies in the nursemaid sense were only in books to me, but I rather fancied having one when I was. child. However, they are quite common now, at least in London, and by no means only in the upper classes.

I

grannyactivist Thu 19-Apr-18 17:35:46

My mum's mum was nana and my my own mum chose also to be nana to all of her grandchildren - I am Granny to all of mine.

phoenix Thu 19-Apr-18 17:37:12

I had a Nan and a Grampy.

callgirl1 Thu 19-Apr-18 17:39:07

All 3 of mine were Grandma, as I am to all my grandchildren, I definitely never wanted to be a nanny or nan.

grannysyb Thu 19-Apr-18 17:54:54

I had a Granny and an Omi (German), her mother was still alive and was the more correct Oma. I am Granny to my GCs as is their other grandmother, with our first names attached when they are talking about us. My exes grandmother was known as Nana to my childen to differentiate from her daughterwho was Grandma, my mother was Granny.

kittylester Thu 19-Apr-18 18:00:17

I forgot to add upthread that we are Ma and Pa - again DGS1's choice rather than the Grandma and Grandpa we had been allocated by DD1. I didn't want to be any variation of Nana but, luckily, the 'other' granny chose that.

Apart from a Ma and Pa (us!) our DGC have a variety of Nanas, Grannies and Grandmas the only other male is Granddad. We are also Ma and Pa to some of our in laws.

Maggiemaybe Thu 19-Apr-18 18:32:08

I'm Nanna by choice. It gets a lot of stick on GN whenever the subject comes up, which is often, with digs about dogs and goats and paid employees, but to me Granny and Grandma just sound old. There's Nonna in Italy and Israel, Nani in India, Nai Nai in China - all I'm sure traditional, just as Nanna is.

ginny Thu 19-Apr-18 18:33:17

We are Nana and Nan Nan to our 2 year old DGS and Nan & Grandad to the older DGS. My MIL is Grandma FIL was Granpa as they was were to our 3 girls. My parents were Nan and Pop .
My Grandmothers were both Nanny/ Nan followed by their name and Grandfathers were both Grandad but one was followed by his name and the other was Pop.
It was my preference to be Nana/Nan. Not keen on Grandma, Gran and Especially no Granny. Just doesn’t sound like me.

Maggiemaybe Thu 19-Apr-18 18:41:14

The two grandparents I knew were called Mother and Grandpa by all their grandchildren. I've no idea how that came about!

hildajenniJ Thu 19-Apr-18 18:41:44

I had a much loved Nana. My mother always insisted on being a Grandma and I'm Granny, but to one DGD I'm Dandy. confused

Cold Thu 19-Apr-18 18:44:56

My mother's mother was always nana to us - so not a new thing

Cherrytree59 Thu 19-Apr-18 18:44:58

I now live in the part of the world where Nan, Nana or Nanny is is very popular.
I get very odd looks when people hear my DGC call me Gran.
Also my little grandsons are often confused when people such as nursery staff say Nan when meaning me as they have a grandmother that they call Nan in London.

I come from a long line of Grans & I wanted to continue with the tradition.

However my DGS from Lanc's calls me Grandma.

Whatever our DGC choose to call us,
The first time you hear them utter your name it just melts your heart ?

tanith Thu 19-Apr-18 18:52:08

I’m Nanny to my London GC but my Gibraltar/Spanish speaking GC call my Granny. My grownup GC tend to call me Grandma I have no idea why it changed when they left home.