I have just read an article in Good Housekeeping magazine about a woman who has just become a grandmother for the first time and is horrified at the thought of being called granny, grandma, nana or any other such name. She wants to be known as ‘wow’. I am utterly at a loss to understand her reasoning! For me, the best thing in the world is to hear my beloved grandchildren, aged 9,8,6 and 3, call me nana! What does everyone else think?
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Grandparenting
Nana or granny?
(178 Posts)When I was told that our first GC was on the way, I was asked what I wanted to be called; Grandma, Nana or Granny? I said then that the GC would find their own name for me in time. And they did. So I'm officially "GRANNEEEE"! Always said either with exasperation or excitement!
Personally I don't want to be 'nana' but I do like Grandma. DGD used to call me 'Na'Wise' when she was a toddler (short for Nanny Wise because of a nickname ) which amused me. Now it's Grandma. DGS calls me Grandma. When he was tiny I used to love hearing him call to me sleepily when I'd put him in his cot at night....'Gam-ma!' in his dear little voice.
However...I did tell my DDs that, though I preferred not to be Nana, they could call me anything that felt natural to them.
I'm only 20 years older than DSD, so it's quite possible I could be a young grandmother. Consequently I'd like to be called Nana.
My son and DIL asked me what I would like to be called when they told us Hannah now 3 was on the way. I'm Grandy (got the idea from a book i was reading at the time) Nothing beats hearing my little granddaughter shouting 'Grandy's here' when I visit. And now her little sister at 14 months is beginning to find her voice I'll get it in stereo.
I'm Grandy. Got it from a book I was reading at the time my son and DIL told us Hannah now 3 was on the way. They asked me what I wanted to be called and as my children had a Nanny (my mum) and a Granny (my MIL) wanted something different.
Sophiasnana perhaps the new grandmother who doesn’t like to be known by any of the usually accepted names that children call their grandmothers, has some sort of problem accepting that she’s old enough to be a grandmother, or perhaps she can’t accept that her AC is old enough to be a parent. Who knows?
Personally I answer to Grandma, which is what I called my beloved GM.
She wants to be known as 'Wow' ? Is that some silly attempt to pretend she's not getting (or is) old?
My eldest grand-daughter calls me Grandma (her choice) and two of them call me by my first name on the rare occasions I see them.
The 9 years old, when he was 5, decided on Gramlin (perhaps he thought I was a Gremlin?) and I'm happy with that too.
As my Mum used to say, 'You can call me anything as long as you don't call me too late for dinner.'
Granna and soon will be pommiegranna!
I am Grandma, and proud to be. Why anyone should mind I can’t think. When my first grandchild was expected, my DIL’s mother said to me “Would you prefer to be Granny or Grandma?” I chose Grandma, because I was fond of my own grandma. We both kept saying we didn’t really mind, but are happy with the outcome. She is Granny.
The nana/nanny/nan names didn’t come into it. They have always puzzled me, as to me a nanny is a nurse, not a grandmother. I wasn’t even aware of them until I was well grown up.
We are Ma and Pa! Dd1 was the first of ours to have children and said that she would like us to be call grandpa and grandma as she had loved her own grandpa very much and would like her children to have the same.
Her oldest shortened our names and all the grandchildren call us the same.
I never wanted to be nana, nanny etc because, unlike agnurse, I think it's a name for someone much older than me.
Grandmar and Grandpar (the R is important because their father, DS, always refers to us, directly and in emails as Mar and Par). I get my first name after Grandmar because both Grandmars are still around. Sadly there is only one Grandpar, so his name is not needed to differentiate.
I will not upset all the Nannas/Nannys by quoting my grandmother's comment tart response when someone suggested she should be called 'nanny'
I wanted to be nana and I was for the first year or two until the oldest one decided I'm nannie. Can get confusing, as that's what they call daddy's mum too.
I don't like grandma, they called my mum grannie their other GG is nannie E*
I wouldn't have mind if they had come up with a pet name for me other than one of the usual titles, I think it's quiet endearing.
Grandma70s I was only aware of nannie and nan growing up.
A regional thing, or maybe class ? Who knows. I always thought grandma sounded "posh" when I was little
I’m Nanny. As in Nanny Ogg. Not sure when it happened as I thought I’d started as Nanna. All my side of the family have been Nanna. Grandma is the other, posh side.
I was Nanny for many years but as they’ve grown up they started calling me Grandma, now they all use Grandma except for the two youngest who call me Granny London ?. I don’t care what they call me as long as they call me ?
My late sister-in-law decided she could not cope with being called any of the usual Grandmother names so came up with "Peachy" as her desired name. I think that is on a par with "Wow"!
We are Granny and Grandad and as someone says up-thread there is nothing to beat the little voice calling out that name. One of my favourite memories is of picking up my beloved 2-year old DGD (now 16) from nursery, and her spotting me and shouting out "That's my Granny" in great delight!
Another grandma here to our two grandchildren who are 6y and 2y. We’re not posh though!
My 3 year old granddaughter calls me Nanno, with heavy emphasis on the "o"!
I'm Grandma. My choice as I felt it sounds "cosy". I grew up with a Nanny on each side and it always makes me think of Mary Poppins. Which I am definitely not!
Everyone thought I was nuts as I was a very "young" grandmother. But that's just the way it was! I wanted the little grandchildren to know from the start I was their Grandma: it's a relationship I cherish. Can't stand the vanity of being "too young" for a grandparent type title.
My ex FIL was still insistent on being called by his first name when he died in his 80's. The kids humoured him but thought he was daft.
I wear the badge of Grandma with pride. It's one of the high points of my life to be in those little people's lives
Like a couple of people 'up thread' I also thought that the grandchildren would find their own names for us. We were/are Nanny and Grandad to several, and GrannyH and Granpa to the others. It's when the great grand children come along that it gets complicated, as I always turn to answer to Granny etc, but now I'm not, my daughter/daughter-in-law claim that title. So, we are now Lily and Bom, their way of pronouncing our names, which is just lovely
Like a couple of people 'up thread' I also thought that the grandchildren would find their own names for us. We were/are Nanny and Grandad to several, and GrannyH and Granpa to the others. It's when the great grand children come along that it gets complicated, as I always turn to answer to Granny etc, but now I'm not, my daughter/daughter-in-law claim that title. So, we are now Lily and Bom, their way of pronouncing our names, which is just lovely
Apologies, delay in turning from Preview to Post
Grandma or Granny just like my mum and grandmas before me ; and proud to represent my generation.
The 14 year old always spells my name Grandmar as she did when she was younger.
I'm Nannie, never wanted to be anything else. My DiL's mum is Grandma. Both my mum, and MiL, were Nannie to my children (followed by first name to differentiate), and both of my GMs were Nannie to me, and all the other GC in our family. I also had both of my great-grandmothers when I was little, and they were also Nannie, one followed by first name, the other by surname, because that's what everyone else called them. I guess it's a family tradition, and it wouldn't have felt right to me to be called anything else. Of course, if my DGC eventually decides to call me something else, I'd be happy with that too. I don't see why some people get so hung up on what they want their GC to call them (my DiL's mum deliberated for months about what she wanted to be called). Or why some people feel the need to make comments about what other GMs choose to be called. Each to their own. Although, I do think 'Wow' is a rather unusual choice ;-)
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