With four children , there was a lot of juggling needed to differentiate us from the 'other grandparents', but it seems to have worked out.
I was more surprised at the shocked reaction when I suggested our adult children should use our first names, as their spouses do. They flatly refused, and stick to Mum and Dad
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Grandparenting
Nana or granny?
(179 Posts)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?
I’m granny to all six. My paternal grandmother at 58 declared that she was too young to be a grandmother and I had to call her Net. All subsequent grandchildren called her grandma. Definitely not nanny as she had a nanny to bring up her children until she ran off with her lover! I think the nanny gave her time to spend with him.
Always granny. My maternal grandmother, with whom I often stayed, was granny to the whole family. My other grandmother was gran to her other thirteen grandchildren. Even as a child, I couldn't call her anything other than granny. I never liked nan, nana or nanny either.
Nan and grandpop here. My mum was nanna to her grandchildren but as they got older I think they thought it babyish. Never liked gran, granny, grandma. I chose my name, older son chose grandpops as dh is sometimes called pops.
Knowing 'kid-speak' she will be called 'Wow-wow'.
Have not read all these Posts yet but fully understand the sentiment of the original postee. Never could come to terms with the Grandma thing so I chose something completely different. All four of my children were born in New Zealand so that is where I went for a Grandmother name. Came up with ‘Tipuna’ which in parts of Maori NZ means ‘wise female elder’! Only found this out months after and might have chosen differently! Anyway it got shortened to Poona for little mouths to deal with all those years ago. Now I have a bone fide NZ DGD who spells it as two words Te Puna - so what do I know.
I am not not traditional Granny material so we are all happy.
I was always graneeee until they got bigger when I am now just gran, suits me fine.
I am very happy to be called Granny because that is what I am. Before I had grandchilden I wasn't sure what I wanted to be called because I worried about seeming old but once they came I was proud to be Granny. I am old enough to have grandchildren so why hide it? It's certainly nothing to be ashamed of.
To be honest I don't think Nana, nan or nanny sound any younger than Granny or Grandma and I can't understand why anyone would want to be called Wow. But we are all different and it's the relationship that matters rather than the name.
My son asked me what I wanted to be called, and I had no idea! He always called me Granny when taslking about me to the children, and when the older one started talking, he changed this to 'Nanny', which I found I really liked. Then I became 'Gwanny', which was my favourite version! Now I'm plain Granny, but there are two Grannies, so I expect our first named will be added at some point, as my son's granny was always known as 'Granny Pat' at her own request.
Basically, any form of Granny or Grandma suits me.
We have 7 grandchildren 4,4,4,4,6,9,9, they are absolutely a huge boost to life. The bond we have with them is beyond words. One of my friends has 3 grandchildren and she could not care less. I’m glad I’m the sort of person i am.
I don't think wow is so awful. It may be the lady's immediate emotion when she heard the good news. The GC will attach no sensational meaning to it initially due to baby ignorance and then it will become the norm with no added consequences. I've a slightly unusual handle myself and my elder GD just said to me recently 'you're just the same as a granny really'. She's six and found the whole thing decidedly matter of fact. Me too.
Blessed with six GC five call me Granny and the last GC calls me Gaga . One of the GC has been told to call the other Gran Glammy dont think she was ready to be granny best to let GC decide i think . wow must love herself.
When my GS was very little he called me GaGa, but now I'm Granny and love it.
Incidentally the uncle mentioned above became known by my children as 'Uncle Pub' because we always met up with him and his wife at family get togethers in a pub as we all lived some distance from each other. The children came up with that themselves and if children come up with a unique name that is the best thing, especially if it's unusual or even unique.
I have a friend who says she couldn’t envisage or would like to be Nan , Nanny Grandma .
I love being a Grandparent my first GC was born 4 years ago and I was allocated Grandma as DIL Mum wanted to be Nanny I didn’t argue , as it was I only got to see her for 6 weeks before her DIL my son split acrimoniously and we were refused access . Happily I have been seeing her for the last 10 months ❤️ and all is going well she calls me Grandma Chicken (we have chickens) my son has a new partner and her son calls me Grandma and they have a new baby on the way and I will be Grandma I guess . While I’d rather be Nanny I’m just grateful I have them they can call me what they like ?. My eldest GC calls hubby Pappy and my Dad GeeGee (GG great grandad although we say grumpy grandad) and she calls my Mum, Nin which is what I called my Great Grandmother (believe it’s a welsh derivative ?)
Me too Sophiasnana.... I wanted to be called nana when my first grandchild was born but other nana got in first. But Nannie comes a close second. I love them using it...what in heavens name would any sane persin wish to be called wow.
In the article originally quoted, I think 'WOW' was a family nickname for the lady already?
Just after we got married we went for a family meal with some of my DH's family. One of his aunts had just become a granny and was talking about it. My new MIL announced that she wanted to be 'Grandma'. Her younger brother commented 'That's you told then!' Thus began the never ending hints that we should get on with procreating! They didn't really approve of me until I produced a grandchild as I was older than their precious son. As a child I had a Grandma but she died when I was 3 so I only know what she was like from what my mum told me. From what I've heard she and my MIL had a few similarities - demanding and interfering, so that is what I associate with the moniker 'Grandma'. My mum chose to be 'Gran' which I find more informal and friendly. That would be my choice if I'm asked.
As for 'wow' that smacks of someone who is loathe to accept herself as getting older and wants everyone to see her as glamorous and the centre of attention. A bit sad in my opinion!
Nanna Jen, but in my teenage years, my friend's mom insisted on being called Grandma because as she said she wasn't a 'Nanny goat' I have never forgotten it. Definitely a class thing. Like how many now give themselves double-barreled names! You can take the dog out of the kennel but you can't take the kennel out of the dog haha
I'm known as grandma too - never wanted to be called anything else! I remember my father being called grandpoo at some stage, because he signed a birthday card grandpop and no one could read his writing - we all loved that one!
My Grandson calls me BonBon. The same name I called my Grannie
I always called my Grandmother, Granny as did past generations, but when my mum became a granny, she became Nannie for some unknown reason. Then I too became Nannie. I just adore being a granny and just revel in the job. The good days and the more challenging ones!
Best thing I have ever done.
Being called Wow is just plain daft and not even funny!
I absolutely agree
There is nothing makes my heart sing more than hearing my grandson shout Grandam! My grandma! When I pick him up from nursery
When Step-D had 1st GC my DH claimed Gramps, Step-D asked me what I wanted to be called, I let her choose as her own Mum was still alive, we became Nanny L & Nanny A.
When DD had DGS I was just Nanny, at the age of 8 he decided I should be Nan decided Nanny was to babyish DGS2 almost 2 just calls me Nan. DH remained Grumps or at times Grumpy

My DM is just Granny to both my DD & GGSs
Business like decisions here on names parents use them and kids just copy.
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