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Grandparenting

Names for Grandma

(38 Posts)
Yorkshiregel Wed 05-Oct-16 15:47:17

I hated my children having to call their paternal Grandmother 'Nana'. It did not seem respectful to me but that is what she wanted so I let it ride. Now that my children have had their children I found myself in the position of being called 'Nanna' myself! As my oldest grandchild had always called me 'Grandma' before the others came along that is what I wanted to be called. I really had to put my foot down and now we have come to a compromise, my dil mother is called 'Grandma Janet' and I am 'Grandma Mary'. They wanted to call dil's mother 'Dotty' so I think she put her foot down too. Peace has been restored.

Ana Wed 05-Oct-16 15:49:56

I love being called 'Nana'. Grandma and Granny just sound old to me - probably because my own grandmothers seemed ancient when I was a child!

obieone Wed 05-Oct-16 15:55:13

Lucky you.
I have sort of got the problem in reverse. One to be granny is going to be called Nana x and is quite happy with that.
I wanted to be called granny, but granny y[my christian name] for some reason sounds horrid, and other people are also commenting that it does!

I dont fancy being called grandma, and myself and others are trying to come up with other options, but havent managed it yet!

Just had a thought. I suppose I could be called granny [first initial of my name]. Doesnt sound too bad hmm

NanaandGrampy Wed 05-Oct-16 15:56:45

I'm obviously a Nana and love it. My daughters called my mum Nana and I called her mum Nana ....must be tradition .

My Grandaughter has always called Grampy 'Pay' and when asked now at the age of 9 if she can say Grampy she will fix you with a look and say' of course I can Nana but he'll always be my Pay!' .

kittylester Wed 05-Oct-16 16:01:10

I really didnt fancy being called 'Nana' although I loved my Nan very much. Luckily the other grandmother bagged it. DD wanted her children to have a 'grandpa' as she adored hers, so we opted for grandma and grandpa which have become 'ma' and 'pa' which we love and is what all six dgc call us.

Alima Wed 05-Oct-16 16:03:08

I am Nana too, cannot think of anything I'd like more. (If the other GM was going to be Nanna too I'd have opted for Nana Mags but no need as she loves being Grandma).

nanaK54 Wed 05-Oct-16 16:03:21

Love being called nana. Was my choice when my DGS was born

Synonymous Wed 05-Oct-16 16:15:31

My paternal GPs were known as Grandma and Granddad and the maternals were Granny and Grandpa. Our DGC have two sets of GPs and one set of GGPs so are known variously as "Farmer Granny and Grandpa", name of "town Granny and Grandpa" and name of "country Granny and Granddad". They all know who and where we are and it happened naturally.
Granted there is a surfeit of 'grannies' but we have always had 'Grannys' in my own family and I had no wish to be Nana as that was my lovely MIL and I could never fill her slippers!

tanith Wed 05-Oct-16 16:19:19

I've always been Nanny to my grandchildren when they were small but now they are grown they have started calling me Grandma for some reason.. I don't care what they call me as long as they do grin

marmar01 Wed 05-Oct-16 16:34:41

My mum was BizBiz,( her name was LIz) my name is Marmar and my friend is called WaWa. so i think the children pick you name. I am glad i am not a Nana (sorry) Oh and my Dad is Papa, Think my DH is Grumps smile

Swanny Wed 05-Oct-16 16:53:41

My mother was insistent on being Grandma when my son was born but on the paternal side there was MIL and step-MIL who both wanted to be known as Nana. We had to refer to each as Nana and Grandad (surname).

When my DGS was born I was looking for something different altogether. However my son said he wanted me to be Grandma, as the word just conjured up good memories for him. So that's what I am and I can't imagine anything else now. DIL's mother lives in Europe and has a traditional name from her homeland.

Greyduster Wed 05-Oct-16 17:12:45

Like tanith I am 'nanny' to my only grandchild (I was only thinking today that as he is getting a bit older now we may shorten it to 'nan'). His other grandmother was 'nannan', which is what my mother's eleven other grandchildren called her. It seems to be a Yorkshire thing. Unfortunately, my children saw their grandparents so seldom that I can't really remember what DS called them. DD was too young to call them anything, and then they were gone. I hate 'grandma', or as my friend insists on saying when she is quoting her GC, 'gwandma' ?.

Kittye Wed 05-Oct-16 17:13:10

We are Nanna and Grandad. Would hate to be Granny or Grandma ... sounds like I'd be wearing a shawl and a grey bun ?

ninathenana Wed 05-Oct-16 17:30:17

I asked to be nana as I didn't like grannie, nannie or grandma. Unfortunately the oldest GC when old enough decided for himself (3-4) started to call me nannie because that was what the other one was called so I must be a nannie too. I called both of mine nan but I hope I don't end up as that as they get older. They called my late mum grannie and their other great grandmother is nannie E***n

aggie Wed 05-Oct-16 17:34:35

My mum was Grandma , I quite liked that but my lot said there was only one of her , so I ended up called Gran , this is ok as some of my kids are in Scotland and it is used a lot there and I loved my own Scottish Gran

kittylester Wed 05-Oct-16 17:46:53

Isnt it funny the different perceptions we have of different names. To me, being called 'nan' would have me picturing a little old lady with a perm and a rocking chair, granny makes me think of my granny who was very glamorous with lots of jewellery, wearing tea dresses and furs, beautifully made up and driving a sports car. Grandma is homely and wise.

My mum was going to be Nana but DS1, who was her first grandchild, could only say 'Anna' which is what she is to all 6 of her grandchildren. People who don't know find it very confusing as her name is Alice and she was called Babs by her family. confused

mcem Wed 05-Oct-16 18:24:41

My choice and fortunately theirs is Gran.
DD's ex's parents are Granny and Grampa. DD's father's 2nd wife is Grandma while he is Granddad. If anyone uses the wrong name my GCs immediately put them straight.

Dilemma! When mummy and her new fiancé get married they'll acquire a 4th grandmother and they haven't yet decide what she'll be called.
They realise that they're lucky to have more grandparents than most! (A situation we're all happy with.)

Ana Wed 05-Oct-16 18:32:24

kittylester, I was always puzzled as to why her family often called my SIL Babs when her name was actually Patricia.

Apparently it was because she was the 'baby' of the family and is quite common in certain areas! confused

kittylester Wed 05-Oct-16 18:40:19

Except, Ana, my mum was the middle child! Although I suppose she would have been the baby for 5 years until her younger brother was born.

jogginggirl Wed 05-Oct-16 18:43:40

To be honest, I don't mind what my grand-girlies call me ? But between me and the other grandparent we decided I would be Grandma and the other was happy to be Nana - I can't tell you how I feel when I hear "Grandma, I love you" - that'll do for me ?

Kittye Wed 05-Oct-16 18:50:41

jogginggirl you're right as long as we're loved it doesn't matter what we're called smile

merlotgran Wed 05-Oct-16 19:01:23

I'm Granny. Nothing shawl-like or grey bun about me. wink

phoenix Wed 05-Oct-16 19:07:59

Does it matter? Can't really understand the OP's remark about "disrespectful"

Seems to hark back to another age!

Wobblybits Wed 05-Oct-16 19:16:16

Likewise, I don't see that it matters what they call you. I am Pompa, that name has been used for grandfathers in our family for 3 generations. I am told it is a Northern name, which as I am from Yorkshire could be correct.

mcem Wed 05-Oct-16 19:37:38

Oddly enough I've just had a call from L (6) to tell me that they had a chat today and have decided it's to be Granny X.
The only problem I've had over this was when ex husband was with a ghastly woman who insisted the big girls call her nanny m. I loathed her and the girls preferred to ignore her. Fortunately she didn't last long. Ex came to his senses and married a lovely woman whom I regard not only as family but also as a friend.