Grandmother Names

brea311 · November 2011

Ok, so my mom doesnt like the traditional "Grandma" and wants to be called something different. She threw out some awful suggestions in the beginning like "Sweetheart" and denied me anything cute like "Nana." I finally told her that I dont think there is anything wrong with "grandma" and that the baby will find its own nickname for her as s/he starts to grow and talk.

Yesterday, my mom sends me an email and at the end she says...I like "G-ma" or "Gammy" as names for your baby to call me. Really?! REALLY?! G-ma or gammy?! Ick. I have not responded because I hate both of those names.

Anyone have other suggestions? I think I am just going to call her "Grandma" (I cannot ever call her "gammy - its baby talk...ugh)

blair1027 · November 2011

I'm in the same predicament with my mother....

She actually sat down with a few of her older grandkids (step-families combined) and got on Google to see what names they liked and which ones she could stand to be called because she hates grandma so much.

She decided on Granna.

I think it sounds older than Grandma, and kinda ridiculous! I might just have the kid call her Abuelita just to spite her! Can't say anything if grandma is in another language!! Hahaha!

Anyways, best of luck to you! And I think you're right in just letting the kid come up with the nickname.

silvercamaro77 · November 2011

How about Grammy or Grams? They're both close to Gammy without sounding as childish. We call my grandmother Mamaw, and my aunt's grandkids call her Mim-Mim. I think the oldest grandchild came up with it.

Jsthomas618 · November 2011

My mom ended up becoming Gram. My dad however became Pop-Pop when she started talking....he was over one day helping with house projects and she started calling him that from the sound of the nail gun. So you never know what will stick! Do yo have any cultural nicknames you can explore?

sweetky_06 · November 2011

You might be surprised what your LO come up with on their own. With my niece, my mom was always referred to as Grandma, but once my niece was talking, she christened her "Mimi" and it stuck!

allisons1014 · November 2011

My mom is going with the traditional Grandma and my dad is Papa (my sisters already have 2 kids a piece so these names are pretty well established). It's the first grandchild for MIL and FIL. MIL and her husband want to be called Cookie (because she likes to cook and bake) and Boots (because he wears boots ?!?!) I don't get it but I guess I am not going to argue about it. We haven't really established names for FIL and his wife - I think it will probably be Pops and Nana but I guess we will see when the time comes.

ASmallWonder · November 2011

I wouldn't stress. My FIL was supposed to be Grampy but Aiden started calling him Bampy all on his own. MIL? Hers went from Grammy to Bammy. Aiden knew what he wanted :-p

salt78 · November 2011

I think the baby is going to call her whatever the baby wants. My grandmother wanted to go by Grandy (yeah I don't know) and when I was small I couldn't say that so I called her "Nan". And then she was "Nan" for her other 3 subsequent grandchildren also.

I've had the same conversation with my own mom and luckily she likes Nana, which will be easy to say.

tlcondon · November 2011

Grandmother names in our family are Granma, Nana and Ninny. Also for the greatgrandmother it is GiGi or GG.

For the grandfathers it is Pawpaw and PooPa.

agkoz83 · November 2011

My Grandmother's nicknames were Grandma K and Ginga.

My son calls my MIL Mimi. My mom isn't really in the picture that often so we just refer to her as Grammy K.

We never intended for my MIL to be called Mimi...but that's just what my son started calling her. I think LO just decides for themselves...it's whatever they can pronounce first!

Either way - I'm sure she will be happy no matter what she ends up being called!

IamAmom2B · November 2011

Would you consider Ma, Nana, or Granny. If not just refer to her as grandma if that's what you are comfortable with. My MIL wants to be called Mom..she is definitely CRAZY!!!! There is only ONE mother!!! In my case, she will get the name I give her...grandma or nana.

IamAmom2B · November 2011

salt78:
I think the baby is going to call her whatever the baby wants. My grandmother wanted to go by Grandy (yeah I don't know) and when I was small I couldn't say that so I called her "Nan". And then she was "Nan" for her other 3 subsequent grandchildren also.
I've had the same conversation with my own mom and luckily she likes Nana, which will be easy to say.

I like Nan...

dscott27 · November 2011

When I was pregnant w/ my DD my now ex MIL wanted to be called "Mama G" b/c she didn't think that she was old enough to be a g'ma. Needless to say I wasn't about to encourage my daughter to call anyone other then me Mama so I told her that what ever DD decided to call her would be what she would be. She ended up w/ MiMi, my mother is Gram and she has 2 Grandpa's.

Angelrelic · November 2011

Luckily neither of the grandmothers for my DS are all that picky yet. I know my mom will probably lean towards being called "Gram" but thats what my mom's mom was called. Gram and Pop for the maternal side, Grandma and Grandpa on the paternal. Honestly the kids will sort it out.

brea311 · November 2011

Haha, great ideas and glad to know I am not alone! I am lucky that she does not want to be called "Mom" though - that is just wrong! haha

turner215 · November 2011

My parents are going to be called whatever the baby wants to call them... I'll probably refer to them as grandma and pawpaw... thats what I called my grandparents, both of them. They were just granny so-and-so and pawpaw so-and-so.

My IL's want to be called Oma and Opa, because they think everything else is old and they dont want to be confused with the other grandparents. They even made shirts that said "new oma" and "new Opa" and the onsie for the baby that said "what happens @ oma's house, stays there"... My hubby and I both hate it. We wont be refering to them as that and unfortunately they live not so close so the baby wont be seeing them all that much, so they are just gonna have to be whatever the baby wants because we aren't gonna correct her or make her call them anything she doesnt want.

Byrdgirl1 · November 2011

Thats how my MIL and FIL are too! She wants to be called granny and he wants to be called G. Ummm, yeah, we'll see about that! I told my husband that our son is going to call them what ever he wants to. My husband called his grandparents papa and mopsy, and no one knows where he came up with mopsy.

My nieces and nephews call my parents papa or grandpa, and grandma or grams.

We just laugh and nod our heads when his parents tell us what they want their grandson calling them because ultimately its up to the child. Good luck

mrsp+3 · November 2011

I guess I'm in the minority because I believe it's the grandma (or grandpa's) right to choose what they want to be called (within reason, of course... that "Mom" nonsense wouldnt' fly).

My parents go by Mamaw and Papaw to my kids... it's not what I would've chosen, but they like it. My husband's parents are Grandpa (insert first name) and Grandma (insert first name).

I figure some day, I'll be the grandma, and I'd like to be able to choose what I'd like to be called.

kali55 · November 2011

My Mom is from Holland and so we thought she would want to be Oma but she's chosen Yaya instead. I have two stepkids who call my Mom "Yaya" and my Dad "Captain" and my parents both liked those names so much they wanted to keep them with their first biological grandchild.

magees10 · November 2011

My Mom picked the name "Mimi" and that is what the grandkids call her.

StephCripps · November 2011

what about Grams..

or do you have a name you can use from our heritage.. (such as Omma if dutch?)

christinak22 · November 2011

My MIL is Swedish and her name in Swedish would be Farmor, but that's a drug store so she hates it...ha! DD calls both grandmas "Dama" or "Nama" because that's what she can say, but we just call them both grandma and add the last name when we need clarification.

lyhmgt3 · November 2011

We have a few that were named before DS arrived (Grammy and Poppa Lastname and Grandma Lastname). Then DS ended up just using Grandma for my mom and Poppa for my dad. He calls my grandma "Double G" and before my other grandma died, she wanted to be Big Mama (which is what we called HER mom). But DS couldn't say that so she ended up being called "Big"...which in the end, we all just loved and thought was so cute.

lissag24 · December 2011

My mom picked Grammy and my husbands picked Nanna. I really don't care what they want to be called there the ones that are going to be called it forever.... but i go agree G-ma is terrible lol good luck

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