This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.
We’re excited to introduce a long time reader and blogging friend of ours… Teresa Kindred from NanaHood.com.
She is a former teacher, author of several books, public speaker, event planner, friend, dog lover, chief cook and reluctant housekeeper.
Teresa is going to be joining us regularly to share a new column called “5 Minutes with Nana”. Today she’s going to share some insights into how to choose names for grandparents.
I became a grandparent for the first time in 2005 and knew immediately that I wanted to be called “Nana.” My son and his wife approved and my daughter-in-law’s mother requested the name, “Mimi.” For our family it was a very simple and easy process but it doesn’t work that way for everyone.
What if both grandmothers want to be called the same name? Or what if the parents want to choose the name that the grandparents are called? There are as many names and ways to choose them as there are grandparents.
Let the Grandchild Choose
One method of choosing a name is to let the grandchild choose. My friend Cyndi says, “I didn’t receive the name Nana until my first grandchild gave it to me. He couldn’t say Grandma, and it came out Nana. Now I’m Nana to six little wonderful people.”
Another friend, Margaret says, “I didn’t get to choose. My first grandchild Ellie called me Nanny and the rest just copied. Ellie tried to say Nanny Margaret but couldn’t so she called me Nanny Maggie. All seven of my granddaughters call me Nanny Maggie!”
Warning: letting the child choose the name can open the door to some pretty unusual names. Gayle was lucky in that even though she didn’t get the name she picked she liked the one her grandson called her. “I was going to be called Nana and referred to myself as that but when my grandson could talk, I became Yaya… and I love it!”
Grandmother Rebecca added, “It is true that they will pick it. In my case I called myself Grannyma, but they switched it to Mawmaw.”
When You Choose Your Name Yourself
Most children will pick up on whatever name you pick very easily. Grandmother Sherry tells how she taught her grandson to call her Nana, “I just decided on Nana and when I cuddled him, I said, Nana loves you, a lot! I now have a 2-year-old who thrills me to no end calling me Nana!”
What can be confusing for children is when they are born into families with multiple grandmothers. My friend Becky tells how they solved the problem. “We let our first grandchild decide. Our family already had a Ma, Nana, Granny and Grandma. We even bought a book of grandparent names but I think my granddaughter came up with the perfect name all on her own, Grammy. Now all three call me “Grammy” and I hope the two that are due this summer will do the same. I love it!”
Strange Grandparent Names
What if you let your grandchild choose a name and it’s something you don’t like or can’t get accustomed to? A lady wrote to me at blog and told me her grandson had named her “Baggy.” At first she didn’t like it but it grew on her. That grandson is now a grown man and yes, he still calls her Baggy.
Joan, a friend I met online is called Gramcracker. Joan says, “I wanted to be called Grandma… but the first one started calling me Gramcracker at age 4 and it stuck when the others came along!”
If the name is something you really can’t stand then work with the parents to help the child find a new name for you. With consistency and patience, they will follow your lead.
What Really Matters
All the grandmothers I spoke with have one thing in common, they agree that the name isn’t nearly as important as the child.
I liked Donna’s philosophy. Donna said, “I waited until she (my granddaughter) decided what to call me. I referred to myself as grandma, but she is soon to be 12 and she called me Mima (pronounced Mim-ma) and the younger ones followed her lead. As long as they still want to spend time with me, they can call me ‘Mud’ and I am OK with it.”
How about you?
Are you about to be a grandparent or know someone who is? Or are you about to be a first time parent? If so, do you know what you want your children to call their grandparents? The time to start talking about this is before the child is born.
If you are an expectant parent do give it some thought and talk about it before the baby arrives. If you decide how you are going to select a name now then that’s one less thing you have to do after the baby arrives!
Share With Your Friends
We’d love, love, love a tweet or a pin… Thanks so much! 🙂
[Tweet “How did you choose names for your kids’ grandparents? Check out these ideas and share yours.”]
Written by Teresa from NanaHood.com — wife, mom (5 children including identical twin boys), and nana.
You can also find Teresa on
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheNanaHood
Twitter: @NanaHoodRocks
Instagram: https://instagram.com/nanahoodrocks
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/NanaHoodRocks
Emily says
My father was telling me that he told one of his friends he was going to be joining the papaw club.
I assumed he wanted to be called papaw, and my children call him pepaw.
Anna says
When we were in elementary school my sister and I decided that our children would call our mother Grandy. Luckily my children cooperated, and my mother is now Grandy not only to my children, but to many of their friends.
Charlene Carmichael says
I have 3 grandchildren, ages 19.17, and 1 1/2 yrs. old. My oldest grandson started calling me ‘Nana’, and his sister followed. The youngest is talking yet, hoping for the same. I notice no names for grandfathers, our grand kids call grandpa – ‘Bumpa’.
Connie says
When my First grandchild was born I was to young I thought to be a “grandma” so i was set on nana but the Moment he was born that changed. But we had a slight dilemma my Mother was Grandma And somehow I ended up being the Grandma Lady! well then along came the rest and they all have their own names for me so I am called Grandma Lady Grammy Granny Grandma and The grandma in the forest! now if that is not crazy my father and Step mother managed to end up with Grandma Honey (because all my dad calls her is Honey) and he is PaPa Smurf( his nickname is Murf and the kids added the S). We are all happy with our names as these are from the greatest people in the world!!
Gayle Eastwood says
I am Gramma to 5 grandchildren (and their friends) and 3 great-grandchildren. When my grandson, Jared, was little, he called me Hamma, but I think that was Gramma in his mind. When his sister repeated Hamma, he said, “No, not Hamma. Hamma!” My 2½-year-old great-granddaughter, Juliette, calls me Bygock. She told me last night, “You Jeed’s (Jared’s) Gramma. You my Bygock.” I love it.
TraceyT says
I was brought up by my Grandma (paternal grandmother) very close to my Nan (maternal grandmother) and when I had my children I thought as the elder generation they earnt the right to be called Grandma and Nan, irregardless of what my MIL and my biological mother wanted to be called as they BOTH wanted to be called Grandma. Out of respect for MY Grandma, and her being the senior and Great Grandma, I decided they be called Grandma Gayl and Grandma Grace but boy did that create a stir!!! It wasn’t received well AT ALL……I found it very selfish of them, and in the end my daughter called MY Grandma her Great Grandma Grandma Prince as she had a dog that my daughter adored sooo she in the end chose her own pet name, literally. The other two remained as stated….which I thought quite appropriate. I was being courteous they wanted the name Grandma and it was the ONLY way it could happen. I wonder what I will be called when my big day arrives? I like the idea of Nan….but time will tell :0)
BethSophia says
I don’t have children yet, but my niece and nephews call their only Grandma (my MIL) “Meemaw” which she doesn’t like. She wanted them to call her “Mimi,” but their parents didn’t like that, and so the name the kids got was a mixture of Mimi and grandma! I think it’s cute!
When I was growing up we just called our grandparents “grandma Manning” or “grandpa Norm.” I’m not sure how it will work out for us, but it is thought provoking to read this article!
Beth says
I love this article. I remember when our daughter was pregnant spending countless hours looking at grandparent names. I wanted something cute but couldn’t decide on anything. When our grandson came along, I referred to myself as grandma. Who knows why but when he started talking, he’d call me mom or mommy much to his mom’s disappointment. We tried everything to no avail. All of a sudden, he began calling me by my first name. I personally think its a riot. He’s just 2 1/2. Our 2 year old grandaughter calls me gamma. Only time will tell. What ever comes out of their mouths melts my heart.
Joy says
Ty! I have pondered this as my children have grown. Chances are very good that I will be quite young when the next generation comes along and “Grandma” just doesn’t seem to fit. 🙂
Debbie Traynor says
I wanted to be “Nana” from the get-go, but my daughter said she wanted me to be called Grandma. It was my first grandchild who ended up calling me Nana, since she couldn’t pronounce Grandma! I was THRILLED, to say the least, and more so when her parents gave me the “ok”. I suppose it could be worse…my other daughter’s boys call their dad’s mother, “Hamma”…because her very first grandson, from her daughter, could not say Grandma! LOL!