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Original poster

What is wrong with Granny?

418 replies

Jane958 · 14/06/2025 20:05

Both my grannies were Granny.
My mother was Granny.
My sister has chosen Nana, why?
Is this an indication of how far we are plummeting towards the bottom?

OP posts:
Funnywonder · 14/06/2025 21:22

Plummeting towards the bottom of what exactly?

Disclaimer: not expecting an answer as OP won’t be back.

EDIT: OP came back🤣

SuffolkUnicorn · 14/06/2025 21:22

My mum is granny to my son and nanny to my sisters children.

it doesn’t matter what they are called Aslong as they are in the child’s life and being a good grandparent

Original poster
Jane958 · 14/06/2025 21:22

Well, if Granny was good enough for the Queen?
I will leave it there.
I did ask my sister why she didn't go for "Nonna" the Italian version of granny and she thought for a minute and said she had forgotten it was an option.
She is one of those inverted snobs, though :-)

OP posts:
ManyATrueWord · 14/06/2025 21:22

My side: "Nanny is the goat."
His side: "Nanny is the member of staff."
😂

Strokethefurrywall · 14/06/2025 21:22

All of my maternal side (Asian mixed race) are nanas.
My mum is nana and my dad is papa. On my husbands side his mum is grandma and his grandma is GG.
Id never want to be granny, reminds me of my dads elderly, cantankerous mother.

Cyclistmumgrandma · 14/06/2025 21:21

My grandmothers were Granny Ermentrude and Granny Florence. I expected to use a similar nomenclature when first grandchild was born. Unfortunately the other grandmother has the same first name as me! Consequently, after a conversation with other grandmother before she was born, I am Grandma and she is Nana. Both granddads are Granddad as they can be Granddad Percival and Granddad Galahad.

Mayflyoff · 14/06/2025 21:20

I had a Nana and a Grandma. I thought it was odd that my cousins had two Grandmas, and slightly pitied them for it. Though now I think about it, they were the youngest on both sides of their families, so maybe the two Grandmas were independent decisions that then came together.

Livelovebehappy · 14/06/2025 21:20

cumbriaisbest · 14/06/2025 21:08

I hate Nana, it sounds common.

Only on MN…..🙄

Givemethesun · 14/06/2025 21:18

I love granny and use it :) I cannot stand nan even if someone asks me
How my nan is. I don’t have a nan? I have a gran. As pps say it’s just personal preference. I hear some people say they think granny makes them sound old, but I think nan is a bit chavy. Personal preference x

Hepzibar · 14/06/2025 21:17

Viviennemary · 14/06/2025 20:49

I think nana is frightfully common. Granny or Grandma.

Agree and Nan is worse.

IzzyHandsIsMySpiritAnimal · 14/06/2025 21:17

One of mine was Nanna. The other was Grandma.
Nanna was nice - she lived with us, she babysat sometimes, she played games with us, and gave us little treats. She was very missed when she died.
Grandma wanted as little to do with us as possible, or any of her other grandchildren. She didn't do smiles or laughter. She once reluctantly babysat but deferred the responsibility to her boyfriend at the time.
In her later years she wondered why her children and grandchildren didn't want to see her.

BatchCookBabe · 14/06/2025 21:17

CrazyHormoneLady · 14/06/2025 21:13

I've never heard the notion that Nana is common?! My mum chose to be Nana because she was brought up by her Irish grandmother who to her was Nana and she has fond memories of her. My ex's mum chose to be Granny (which surprised me as I also associated it with "old and frail", but she's very robust and has a youthful character).

Nana is not 'common' ANYwhere. It's only common in the opinion of a few wannabe middle classes on Mumsnet who think they're better than they are. Wink

ItsFridayIminLoveJS · 14/06/2025 21:16

The late Queens I and II Were known as Granny. If it's good enough for them.. it's good enough for me.
I'm known as Granny.. as was my Mum and her Mum.
Best feeling in world when my Grandkids call me Granny.

TomatoSandwiches · 14/06/2025 21:16

ThatGladFox · 14/06/2025 21:09

Just be thankful it’s not “Lala” which my mil has chosen for the grandchildren to call her 🫤

Like the tellytubbie?

Laughing Out Loud Lol GIF by Teletubbies
Taytayslayslay · 14/06/2025 21:16

Jane958 · 14/06/2025 20:05

Both my grannies were Granny.
My mother was Granny.
My sister has chosen Nana, why?
Is this an indication of how far we are plummeting towards the bottom?

My kids call their great granny 'granny Percy pig' we are half Scottish so granny has always been our go to🤣

EleanorReally · 14/06/2025 21:16

cumbriaisbest · 14/06/2025 21:08

I hate Nana, it sounds common.

my dm isnt common
and neither am i, nor my ds

downbadd · 14/06/2025 21:16

i have a nanny and Bampi

my mum is nana and dad is grandad

i feel like granny is for really really old grannies 🤣🤣🤣

Ketzele · 14/06/2025 21:15

I could see Nonna becoming quite trendy in nappy valley. Not so much Grossmutter.

ninjahamster · 14/06/2025 21:15

Nanny to me is a job. I worked as a nanny for several years. I want to be Grandma.

BatchCookBabe · 14/06/2025 21:15

chocolatelover91 · 14/06/2025 21:13

Yes. She's odd too mind 🤣🤣

Show quote history

😆

chocolatelover91 · 14/06/2025 21:15

ThatGladFox · 14/06/2025 21:09

Just be thankful it’s not “Lala” which my mil has chosen for the grandchildren to call her 🫤

🤣🙈

PlasticAcrobat · 14/06/2025 21:14

I'm Team Nana.

I had a Granny and a Nana. Both were lovely, but Nana was just that little bit lovelier. Rustic and roguish. She had a poodle and a budgie that could talk and she said bugger a lot.

If I'm lucky enough to have grandchildren I will be hoping to be a Nana but will take whatever word sticks.

Every time I see a Nana-bashing thread on MN (and they are pretty frequent) I wonder why people are so set against the word.

DrMadelineMaxwell · 14/06/2025 21:14

I had two Nanas. But one Grandad and one Grandpa. So to discern which Nana between which Nana we were talking about we'd say 'Nana Grandpa' or 'Nana Grandad'.

My dc had a Nana (my side) and a Grandma on DH's side - his choice. His brothers families both called her Nana and only out kids called her Grandma.

namechangetheworld · 14/06/2025 21:13

Our children have 2 Grannies!

I find Grandma too formal and I'm really not keen on Nana for some reason.

chocolatelover91 · 14/06/2025 21:13

BatchCookBabe · 14/06/2025 21:12

Granna sounds a bit odd! Never heard that before.

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Yes. She's odd too mind 🤣🤣

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