Growing up I only had a grandmother and we called grandma. I never heard grandparents called another name until my DIL. She grew up calling her grandfather papa so that is what she has her kids call hb. I have read the last few years all the variety of names that your grandkids call you and it is amazing. Some I can't figure out how they could have come about but it is amusing (I smile when I read the different names thus the word amusing to describe them - not meant to be negative). To me father, dad, and papa all were names for a parent, not a grandparent.
Any of you know the story behind yours? I have seen PopPop, MiMi, and others.
My daughter called her grandparents Mamie and Doppy as soon as she was able to talk. Made up those names herself. Well, the name Mamie stuck and for the rest of the woman's life all her kids and grandkids called her Mamie. It just became her name.
My DH always wanted to be called PAPPY, so ,although they are grown,he is still called that. My daughter's children call me "Beamie".I don't know where it came from.My children had 5 grandmothers ,MIL was called Grammy Ding Ding, she had a little windup train that went ding ding.Little did they know that the name suited her.Others were called by what the children associated them with.I certainly never wanted to be called Nana. I f I go shopping with my granddaughters and want to buy clothes,I am warned that I can't but NANA clothes.Grammy wears only jeans and Tshirts according to them.Aren't grandchildren great!
My mother's mother was Mama Lu, my mom is Grammy and I am Nana. My son's MIL is MeMaw (KY). And my DH dad is Grand pop and DH is Pop pop.
On a side note, I have a dog who has 8 puppies from two litters, and to the puppies I am Grandma :) I get pictures and cards from my grandpuppies all the time. The oldest ones just turned 6 and the younger ones are 4 years old.
So I have 5 children, 8 grandchildren and 8 grandpuppies.
OMG! The first time I ever heard the term MeMaw was from Sheldon on the Big Bang Theory. I had no idea it was a Southern tradition. I just thought it was a Sheldonism.
Since I'm not a grandmother :(, I don't have a name, but Grammie would be my choice. I like Papa for Grandfather's.
Zaide and Bubbie are the old Yiddish terms. Nonnie is Italian - I think that's for Grandma. Grandpa is a deritive of that, but I forgot what it is.
Someone please remind me what the Spanish terms are. When I worked in Pre-school, I knew all of the various ethnic terms, due to the variety of kids we had, but I have forgotten most of them.
Oddly enough, my cousin, whom we affectionately call the Palm Beach Princess, and all that implies, likes to be called "Granny". Reminds me of the Beverly Hill Billies. And she is definitely the Palm Beach Princess, not the Bevery Hillbilly.
Before my kids ever had kids they teased me that their kids would call me MeMaw. I said NO! I'm from the Midwest & it was always Grandma. I decided I wanted to be called Grammy, but the first attempt of the first grandson to say Grammy came out MiMi. When my son tried to correct him I said, “Wait, I think I like that!” So it has been MiMi ever since (to 9 grandkids). DH is PopPop.
Some of the older kids call me Grandma M, The ones whose mom speaks both Spanish and Icelandic use Abulita in Spanish and for the Mexican Icelandic kid it is Abulita-Amma. Amma is Icelandic for Grandma and Abulita means little grandma... For gramps it is Abuelo or Abuelo-Afi and the older kids call him Grandpa O.
I don't have grandchildren, but we called my mother's mother, Gram and my father's mother Texas Grandma (cause that's were she lived ☺). Never really had a grandfather.
This is a nice sidetrack hearing all the different names for grandparents. It is like aunt - I grew up with Aunt or Auntie (ant) and the first time I heard Aunt (ont) I didn't know what they were saying. Of course, over the years I hear it both ways but Aunt (ant) still seems the norm.
I am granny and dh is pop. My sons always said Mama Lou for my mother but grandma for dh's mom and grandpa for his dad. they never knew my dad as he died when I was 9 yrs. old. Blue, I never heard any other Mama Lu until yours. My mom used to spend one month with us in the summer when our boys were still living at home. She lived several states away and they would never have known her if she couldn't have come here. They remember dh's parents also but just never knew them that well as they also live several states away. Dh's mom had dementia before they were born and she never could really relate to them. Grandpa, though was a great guy and they remember him because he could pick up hot coals that popped out of the fireplace and throw them back in the fire. He was a farmer with calloused hands. Strange what kids remember.
DH's daughter pronounced that we would be Gram and Gramps to her kids. Of course we never seen them, so we don't hear those names. And she doesn't consider me their "real" grandmother [second marriage] so it's not like I get Mother's Day or birthday cards from them.
My daughter asked what we wanted to be called and we decided Nana and Papa. Hearing my grandson say those words is the best thing in the world.
All mine started out calling me Momo, except for the oldest. He called me Mom and his mama was Mommy and then there was Grandma. My ex is Poppy and Lloyd is Pappaw. Of course they do reach that age where it is just Grandma and Grandpa. My grandson's friend's little one will call me Gigi (GG for great-grandma).
Our kids started calling my wife's father "Popper" for Grandpa. They didn't know what to call her mother, so used "Little Popper". My parents were Grandma and Grandpa.
When our daughter first got pregnant she told us by asking: "What do you want to be called? And 'Omie' and 'Opie' are taken." These are German terms.
My in-laws were Nana and Papa. Bill was Papa and I am Grandma. My grandson started out calling me MeMaw, which I liked, then one day he decided he'd call me Grandma. I told him I really liked MeMaw, but he said that he said MeMaw because he couldn't say grandma. He was big now and he could say grandma. It's been that ever since. Joe's grandkids call me Grandma Joyce and my grandkids call Joe Grandpa Joe, Jdawg (this one calls me Gdawg when she feels in a silly mood) and step Grandpa Joe.
I am called Granny by my grandkids, and Granny Ann by my step grandkids. My dh is called Grumpy (no reflection on his old personality...the just liked the sound of Granny and Grumpy.
And I am Momma Grace.....Today my computer was connected. Seriously I was having withdrawal pains. I am still trying to get everything unpacked. I'll check in again and report how things are going.
Because we were smaller than the other grand parents...we were called Little Grandad and Little Nana... Even today as adults when they send mail it's addressed to Little Grandad or Little Nana