What to call grandmothers?

[Orlea]

What do you (or rather your children) call your children's grandmothers? Both DM and MIL are Scottish.

DM's mum was Mama (her father was Papa) and Dad's mum was Granny (I never knew his father). DH called all of his grandparents 'Gran/Granpa+Surname', as in Gran Smith vs Gran Jones, which I find a bit weird for some reason!

I quite like the idea of continuing the 'Mama' tradition, but DM is already 'Granny' to other grandchildren, and I don't think MIL will like it (and DM might not like that being used). I don't really mind that much, and we will ask them their preference when the time comes, but I'm just curious as to what other people like/dislike and what combinations you have for either side...

[BartBaby]

I always called my mams mam 'nanna'. So my ds calls my mam 'nanna' aswell. DH called his mams mam 'grandma'. So ds calls dh's mam 'grandma'. The men have always been grandads.

[ToffeeJungle]

My DM is Nanna, my DF is Grandad.
My DMIL is Grandma, my DFIL is Grandad.

It was their choice and we're happy with that!

[CointreauVersial]

My DCs have:

Nana and Grandad (DH's parents)
Granny and Digs (DM and DSDad)
Gan-Gan and Grandpa (DSM and DDad)
Gran (great grandmother)

The names Digs and Gan-Gan were family names passed down through my step-parents' families, and served quite well as names for grandparents who aren't strictly.....grandparents!

I myself had a Grandma, but that's quite an "old lady" name!

[squoosh]

Granny and Grandad.

[HoratiaDrelincourt]

We asked them.

We would have preferred to avoid duplication (eg Nana Sue and Nana Julie) but in the end they all chose differently anyway. So they have Grandma and Grandad, and Granny and Grandpa.

Mind you, our pfb was also pfGC on both sides.

[MrsCliveStanden]

You might find that the names evolve over time as your children grow. Mil and her partner were granny first name and his nickname that everyone uses. Fil and his wife were Grandad and granny first name. Ds now calls mil by her first name and fil is grandpa.

[elQuintoConyo]

DM is Nan (her, rather enforced, choice)
DF is Grandad
DFil is Abuelo
DMil would have been Abuela but sadly died before DS was born
(ILs are Spanish, obviously!)

My GPs were Grandma Surname/Grandad Surname, for both sets.

[WaveySky]

My DC have a Nanny (DstepM), Grandad, Nana (DM), Nanny Surname (My GM) and Granny (MIL).

I had Nanny's and Grandad's and hate the word Granny, I think MIL is fighting a losing battle as the DC say Nanny all the time due to the others being that.

[squoosh]

I had Grannies growing up and would struggle to use the word 'Nanny', think it's awful.

[Chopchopbusybusy]

I had gran and papa and nana when growing up. When I had DDs my Mum was very definite that she didn't want to be Nana and asked to be called gran or grandma. We went with gran. MIL just called herself nana. All happy! We're Scottish too, hence Papa.

[MillyONaire]

We asked MIL and my DM what they would like to be called - luckily they chose Nana & Granny so no confusion but a friend told her MIL that SHE could not stand Nana and therefore the MIL was not ever to be called Nana - she had notions that "Nana" was not posh!! IMO it's up to the granparent and grandchild and not to the notions of a parent - they get to chose what they are called.

[TarkaTheOtter]

We have grandads, a granny and a grandma.
Both my DM and Mil chose their own but to their horror 2yr old dd has started calling both nana. They keep suggesting we are encouraging this we are.

[CoffeeChocolateWine]

My children's grandparents are:

Gran and Gramps (my parents)
Nana and Grandpa (DH's parents)

When I was growing up, my mum's parents were Grandma and Grandpa, my dad's parents were Ga-Ga and Grandpa.

Ga-Ga apparently came from my older sister when she was a toddler and couldn't say Grandma and it stuck!

[Onesleeptillwembley]

Grandma and granddad. MUL oddly sent a birth card for oldest saying 'nana' which exh had never ever used for his grandparents. We just continued to say 'grandma' and she got the message. Under no circumstances would they be using that, it just doesn't sound right to either myself or ex.

[BlueChampagne]

Ours became Granny & Grandad 4 and Granny & Grandad 8 after their house numbers!

[Innogen]

We have a Nanny and a Grandma.

[MirandaGoshawk]

We have a Nana & Nickname & a Grandma.

My DM (Grandma) also thinks that Nana is not posh, also because it was the name of the dog in Peter Pan

[cathpip]

We got told (nicely though) by both dm and dmil that they wanted to be called granny and nana. :)

[turkeyboots]

We asked. DM chose Granny. MiL chose Gran.

[Oblomov]

My mum is Scottish. She asked to be called 'Nana'.
Dh's mum has been called 'Nanny Seaside' by all her latest grandchildren. She used to be 'Nanny Two Dogs', by the oldest grandchildren, but then the dogs died and she moved to the seaside , so the youngest grandchildren now refer to her as 'Nanny Seaside'.

[squoosh]

Nanny Two Dogs sounds like a mafia granny, kind of like Jimmy Five Guns.

[clippityclop]

I'm a Nana or Nan if they're in a hurry, I had two Nanas, my girls have a Grandma and a Gran. Quite like the Italian Nonna though

[Frikadellen]

Mil is Grandma FIL was Grandad (though dd1 called Him Grandfar)

my mother is Mormor
Step dad Bedstefar

my dad Morfar

Danish way to do it.

I suspect I will become grandma... Not 100% sure though. Kinda nice to stick with mormor/farmor and keep the Danish.

[Hulababy]

We let the individual grandparents choose what they wanted to be called.

Infact, all very simple: all grandmothers are nana, all grandfathers are grandad. Surnames used to distinguish between them if need be.

Great-grandmothers: one grandma, one nana
Great-grandfathers: one grandad great; one grandad

[curlew]

We had big grandma in the big house and little grandma in the little house
Both just grandma to their faces.