To wish people wouldn't use the word "nana"

[IDoughnutKnow]

Unless you are a toddler and are talking about bananas.

People never used it back in the good old days of MN.

It's a bit mean since it's a big class marker.

It's a term that emerged from poorer communities where their gran was also their pre-school carer, like a nanny.

Hence "nan".

It's completely harmless, albeit only frequently used in working class households.

Noone would dream of saying that about a dialect used by an ethnic minority, so why say it about a class marker? ☹️

I seem to be rare on MN in calling mine Gran and the other one Nana. I also knew several people growing up in Liverpool who called their grandmother Nin which I suspect is a Scouse variant on the Welsh Nain.

It’s snobbery. When my son was born my mum said she wanted to be ‘Nana’ as she preferred it to Granny or Grandma (who can blame her), and my dad, who is the most crashing boring snob imagineable, insisted she had to be Granny or Grandma. So she’s Granny and she doesn’t like it. I personally think Nana sounds much nicer and if I’m ever fortunate enough to be a grandmother I’d like to be called Nana.

My Grandmother was 'Nana'

Oh good another thread designed to make swathes of people feel thoroughly looked down upon.

Personally I would rather not be someone who gives any thought whatsoever to what other people call their grandparents.

I do know a handful of adults who still call their parents mummy and daddy though. Like I say, I try not to judge.

My grandmas where grandma both and my kids grandmothers are also grandma although my older two had a granny
my sisters kids call my mum mama As that was what my mum called her grandmother
but no one should be telling anyone else what to call their grandmother it’s personal within a family, if you don’t like it cool don’t use it otherwise keep your nose out

In Scotland I have a Maw and a Pop

I also have a Gran and Papa

In England my children have a Nan and a Nana, also 2 grandad’s

Each to their own.

I was Nana or Nanny until the GCs became older. Now I'm Nan. Not sure what the problem is.🤔

I'm from Liverpool and my great grandma was referred to as Ninna. My dad couldn't explain where it came from but my great granddad was Welsh so now it makes sense! 😬

Common in Ireland, really? I'm in the north and always called mine granny.

Only time I heard Nanna was on the (magificent) Royle Family.

Nana is a dog in Peter Pan. My brother and sister both insisted on my mother being called Nana by their children despite her begging not to be. They then wondered why she preferred the company of my children. We respected her wishes and always called her Grandma. I am now grandma to my own grandchildren, though they have Nanas on the other side of their family.

I don't really see the issue with nana/nanny but being over the age of ten and still referring to your parents as mummy and daddy is nothing short of embarrassing

It is quite a usual term of address but if you don't like it ask to be called something else. Nona is nice I think.

Not as popular north of the border I don't think, but very normal otherwise.

My best friends in school and I all had similar upbringings, but our mothers were from very different backgrounds and places. We all called our maternal grandmothers Nana, and it's what our DC call our mums now.

I live in NI now and don't hear it as much, Granny and Gran seem more popular.

Your mother preferred the company of your children because they called her the name she wanted. My god.

I had a Nanna , as a child I didn’t like it so I had my own name for her
desperate to be a grandma ,but hell no to being called Nanna

I was brought up with Nanny being someone who is employed to look after children and Nana being the dog in Peter Pan (who essentially looks after the children). Moving to an area where these were terms for other things such as your grandmother took some getting used to.

I’m 41 and I’ve always called gran Nana my kids call her nana as well. That’s just the way it is and if you don’t like it OP then you can lump it!

I think it's probably a class thing. Granny is middle class; Nana or Nan traditionally more working class.

My mum wanted to be ‘nana’ because she thought it sounded younger than ‘granny’.

DH and I both said ‘council estate’ in unison 😬 Such snobs. Sorry.

From then on was always Granny 🤣

Just so I know. What’s upper?

I've always used the word Nanna for my grandparent. I think most people up north do. Are you by any chance from down south?

If I called her granny she'd have thought I was trying to be posh.

When I was little my great nan was alive, so we called Nan; Nan and Great Nan, Nanna.
Don't see the problem.

You sound delightful.

yes.