Gransnet forums

Grandparenting

What should Great Grandparents be called?

(89 Posts)
millie58 Wed 13-May-20 07:11:21

When my children were young, my husband's parents referred to my husband's Nan as Great Nan when in discussion with my children and they were known as Nan & Grandad.
Now that I am a Grandparent myself, they refer to themselves as Nan & Grandad as well. I have a bad relationship with them and am unsure whether this is just clouding my thought on this matter or whether this is quite normal? Please help!

SueH49 Wed 13-May-20 07:23:59

My grandchildren call my Mum Great Gran.

Txquiltz Wed 13-May-20 07:28:11

Could you consider similar but different....Nana and PaPa? The GC might solve the issue by coming up with their own names. “Pom” was given to my GF by his first GC and was used lovingly by the 47 GC that followed. This is not a time for family angst.

tanith Wed 13-May-20 07:28:33

I think you are right when you say your judgement may be clouded by your bad relationship. It may be annoying to you but it’s something you can just ignore. In my family I’m a Great Grandma and my GGC call me GaGa coined by my eldest GS so they could differentiate between me and their Nanny and Granny.
I would try not to bother about it.

Marilla Wed 13-May-20 07:36:33

The relationship you have with your Grandchild is far more important than the titles.
However, we have a great granddad in our family and he is known as Grandad Jim as Jim is his first name.
Within your family, it seems it has already been decided.

Enjoy your Grandchild and all the pleasures they bring.
Don’t allow someone else’s title, spoil the years of love and affection you can offer and will receive!

EllanVannin Wed 13-May-20 08:00:53

Being a Great Gran, the children call me Nanna and my D is known as Nanny to them.

Lucca Wed 13-May-20 08:09:46

My mother was known as GG to great grandchildren. This is also the case in my DIL s family. It sounds nice I think!

Dee1012 Wed 13-May-20 09:52:38

Like another poster we used names in my family...I had Nanny and Grandad **, that was for all.

Coconut Wed 13-May-20 09:53:19

In our family the immediate Grans have always been Nanny, then the Great Gran is Grandma.

mtp123 Wed 13-May-20 10:02:22

My great granddaughter aged 3 calls me GG which I love!

Irenelily Wed 13-May-20 10:03:41

I have one great grand child only 19months. He calls me Nana as do my 6 grandchildren. My daughter who is the Grandma is known as that. In our family 2 of my children married late so have got young children. Whereas my middle daughter married young. I think we thought it better to have the names attached to the person not varied with the children. Hope tha doesn’t sound too complicated but it works for us!

TanaMa Wed 13-May-20 10:04:28

My children used Opa and Oma for the great grandparents as they had spent time in Holland and they were short and easy names to say and remember. Only had one pair to name.

grandtanteJE65 Wed 13-May-20 10:05:13

What do the children call you?

I can see that if you thought you would be Nan and your husband Granddad that it hurts that the children's great-grandparents are hogging those names.

It doesn't sound as if you will persuade them to change, so could you not find a name for yourself that you would like?

Jan51 Wed 13-May-20 10:08:13

My grandchildren call DH and myself Nanny and Grandad and called DH mother Grandma.

vampirequeen Wed 13-May-20 10:13:46

I'm a Grandma and my mam is Nanna.

BladeAnnie Wed 13-May-20 10:14:06

We are Nanna and Grandad - because I had a lovely Nanna on my dad's side of the family and it's in her memory in a way I suppose. I just always knew I would be a Nanna rather than Granny or Grandma x

Summerstorm Wed 13-May-20 10:15:44

My husband was pretty much brought up by his GM and always referred to her as nanny when our children arrived she wanted to be called great nanny but it was a bit of a mouthful and they themselves reduced it to gran. Because the children chose it, she was very with it

Granof1 Wed 13-May-20 10:18:01

My son called my mother Nan, when he had a son he referred to her as Super Nan and that's what she is now known assmile

embracethegrey Wed 13-May-20 10:18:07

Ours are collectively The Greats, or GG individually

olliebeak Wed 13-May-20 10:26:04

Just wait and see what the children come up with! I'm 'Narnie', as decided by my eldest granddaughter 22yrs ago. The other 6 of my grandchildren have all followed her lead grin.

HappyAmI Wed 13-May-20 10:31:16

My mum is known as GG, not just to my GD but to everyone else in the family.

GladysP2 Wed 13-May-20 10:34:53

When my children were young they called my mum Nanna and their great grandma G-nan.

JuliaM Wed 13-May-20 10:34:57

My own Grandchildren call me Grandma, and my Husband Gan Gan, they refere to my own father as 'Old Grandad' although they very rarely see him due to his frailty, and sometimes states of self undress infront of visitors, which is really something young children should not see, and could upset them greatly. Im a Great Grandma myself, to 3 babies, too young to call me anything yet, so its very much wait and see!

BusterTank Wed 13-May-20 10:36:20

I think great grandparents should be grandma and grandpa and gran parents should be Nanny and grandad . Although I like to be called nanna .

SparklyGrandma Wed 13-May-20 10:37:30

I am Grandma (surname), my mother is Nana (fruit name) and my father is Grandpa (fruit name).