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Grandparenting

Nana or granny?

(179 Posts)
Sophiasnana Mon 15-Apr-19 23:51:42

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?

Maggiemaybe Tue 16-Apr-19 08:30:49

Nanna, and very proud of it. And to pre-empt the usual sneers, not a goat, paid employee, dog, banana. Just the traditional English equivalent of the likes of Nonna, Nani, Ne Ne and many similar used all around the world. smile

Greyduster Tue 16-Apr-19 08:47:30

I am Nanny; I suggested to my GS recently that now he is into double figures, he might like to shorten it to Nan. He was horrified! “But you’ve always been Nanny! I like Nanny!” So that put me in my place. Of course, before too much longer, when the teenage hormones kick in, I will be lucky to get him to acknowledge me at all?!

sodapop Tue 16-Apr-19 08:54:36

I have always been Nanny and even though my grandchildren are in their twenties they still use Nanny. My step children and grandchildren just use my forename.
I don't know why people get hung up on this although I have to say 'Wow' is a bit odd.

TwiceAsNice Tue 16-Apr-19 08:59:26

I am Granny. It’s what I always wanted to be called, didn’t want to be Grandma at all or Nanny just personal preference. When the grandaughters were little they couldn’t say Granny and for a while called me Raggy which was cute. SILS mum was also Granny , when she was alive she was Granny D her name , I was Granny Wales but not living there now living much nearer to them which is wonderful

Witzend Tue 16-Apr-19 09:08:52

Never liked Grandma - sounds (to me) so old and fat!
Much prefer Granny to Nanny/Nana, but both Gdd and Gds first called me Nanny once they started talking, and from them it sounded lovely, but I'm now Granny.

Dh was Ba-pa until they could say Grandpa.

Anniebach Tue 16-Apr-19 09:10:29

Granny when they were small, now it’s Gran for grandson,
QueenBabe for elder granddaughter, Bro for younger granddaughter.

Teetime Tue 16-Apr-19 09:18:44

I am Nanna as my mother was and my grandmother was. My grandfather who was of Jewish heritage was Puppa which I always thought was lovely. DH doesn't like any titles so the grandchildren, nieces and nephews call him by his forename.

MamaCaz Tue 16-Apr-19 09:27:51

I was Nee Naa for quite a long time to my first GC (as was any vehicle with a siren, and his best little friend) until he finally managed Grandma.
His little sister, now 6, normally calls me Grandma, but for the last couple of years has occasionally called me 'Granny', just to see what reaction it gets - I just smile and say she can call me that if she wants, as I genuinely don't mind, but months go by before she does it again ?

I am referred to as Grandma to my baby dgd, and her other grandma, who is Russian, is Baba (the most common familiar name, I think, for Russian grandmas), a name which I really like.

Franbern Tue 16-Apr-19 09:35:20

Jewish terms are Buba (female) and Zaida (Male).
My Mother was the most perfect Nanna, much loved and still missed even well over thirty years from her death. When my first g.child was on the way, I was asked by daughter what I was to be known as and said 'Grandma' so we can keep the memory of Nanna. Fortunaely, her Mil was happy at being called Nanny. As other g.children have come along it has been easier keeping me as Grandma and their other female g,parent as Nanny.
Nanny does seem to be usual these days and when I am out with any of them, people will refer to me as 'your Nanny' which they correct 'My/our Grandma'.

Willow500 Tue 16-Apr-19 09:42:53

I'm Nana to my 2 granddaughters - my parents & in-laws were Grandma & Grandpa to them. The eldest couldn't say Grandpa which my husband preferred when she was little so he became Papa and we are still N&P 21 years later. Now we have 2 little grandsons in NZ I'm still Nana but husband is now Poppa which I think DIL has christened him. Recently the youngest one who is 3 renamed me Nana Christmas due to the fact we last saw them 2 Christmases ago and they'll be here again this year - I love it grin

J52 Tue 16-Apr-19 09:53:17

I’m Granny which is what I wanted to be it makes me feel warm inside when the little ones call me by that name.
It could be a regional thing as I had Scottish grannies, who were Granny and then their first name.
DIL1’s mother was already called Nannie, so claiming Granny was ok.
DIL2’s mother had no other GCs, so as I was already Granny she chose Grandma.
Everyone was happy!

Sophiasnana Tue 16-Apr-19 10:01:54

Apparently, in a remote tribe in the Himalayas, the word for grandmother is Wow, and she thought it described her to a T.

Sophiasnana Tue 16-Apr-19 10:04:26

Interesting how everyone has their own little family name for it. My mum, aged 84, now has ten great-grandchildren who call her GG. This is for great-grandmother, obviously, but we also say its for her bra cup size! Now the whole family just call her GG. Its lovely.

Liz46 Tue 16-Apr-19 10:04:53

I wanted to be Nanna but the children have over the years, abbreviated it to Nan. That's fine.

henetha Tue 16-Apr-19 10:11:52

All my grandchildren have called me Nan and I love it.
Somehow I feel like Nan, not Grannie. And it rhymes with
my name, so I'm often referred to as NanJan.

GrandmaPam Tue 16-Apr-19 10:28:20

Grandma all day long (my username kind of gives that away!) I'm not sure where Nana comes from either, but it never was for me. I agree with most people on this...its so lovely to hear the kids call you Grandma

Craftycat Tue 16-Apr-19 10:29:35

I chose Grandma as I think it has a bit of gravitas. My DiL's mum was Nanny.
I had 2 'Nannies' ( followed by surname)when I was young & my mum was always unhappy about it as she thought nannies were people you employed!
I have no idea where she got her delusions of grandeur from.
DH is Grandy as his name is Andy.

SalsaQueen Tue 16-Apr-19 10:30:24

How odd (grin). I was thrilled to have grandchildren, and they all call me Mammar (It's pronounced like that anyway).

jura2 Tue 16-Apr-19 10:32:25

Just don't get it either. I am Granny and he is granpa- but GD who has started learning French quite likes to say 'grandmaman' now. Certainly could not be 'nana'- as in French it means 'bird' as in young female.

jura2 Tue 16-Apr-19 10:32:46

Granpa with a capital 'G'

ginny Tue 16-Apr-19 10:33:54

I am Nana to my little DGS as I was to his older cousin who now calls me Nan. I love it as it sounds friendly and comfy.
I definitely didn’t want to be Grandma or Granny they sound very old fashioned and stern to me.
Each to their own .

Harris27 Tue 16-Apr-19 10:35:59

Nana tradition in our family!!

HannahLoisLuke Tue 16-Apr-19 10:36:09

When I became a grandmother for the first time I felt too young to be tagged with the name, and indeed two years later I became a mother for the third time so definitely didn't want the grandma, granny, and never the nana name.
I became Tatty and to this day remain so to my adult GC and their respective partners. We're all happy with that and now I'm definitely old enough to be called grandma it's far too late to change.

Why the snippy remarks about someone who'd rather have a younger sounding name anyway?

Grandmablue Tue 16-Apr-19 10:36:43

I couldn’t abide the thought of being called a Goat! Nanny- Awful word. I wanted Grannie ... that’s what I called my lovely Grandmother -until they ... I’m Grandma (said very properly) by the girls, but my little grandson calls me Mama and Grampy is Papa ... his words and choice and I love them more for that

Jeannie59 Tue 16-Apr-19 10:38:45

We were called Nanny and grandad from Margate when our eldest Dgc were born and when we moved to ramsgate, we were still called that.
They are now in their 20's and call us Nanny and grandad
We have 2 younger ones living in OZ and when they 9 year old was born
My dd called me cyber Nanny., because of Skype.
I put an end to that right away
Now they call me English Nanna
But I wouldn't mind what they called me, if I could see them more often