What to do when all grandparents want to be called the same name??

[Fluffyted]

Hi,

We're due to have our first baby in January.

We had a family get together on the weekend with my family & my in-laws.
The topic came up about what all the grandparents wanted to be called - both my dad & FIL want to be called Grampy and both my mum & MIL want to be called Nanna.

So now I feel like we are in a little predicament as calling them all the same name is surely going to be confusing for a child?

My MIL & FIL already have a grandchild (our nephew) so they've been called Grampy & Nanna for years already - so want to keep that the same with their next grandchild.

Since we told everyone we were expecting, my mum originally said she wanted to be called Nanny & my dad said "he didn't care" (in a nice way, just he wasn't bothered) so I thought great, we don't have to worry!
🙈

So, anyway that conversation went down like a lead balloon with everyone just awkwardly looking at each other before the subject got changed.

I only had 1 grandparent growing up l, as all my others had passed away before I was born, so I didn't have an issue with naming grandparents.

My partner thinks we should just call my mum "Nanna X" & my Dad "Grampy X" and his parents "Nanna & Grampy" as that's what they are called by our nephew.

I suggested this to my mum - she hates the idea and just wants to be called Nanna.
My MIL is also firmly against the idea of being called Nanna X.

So, what do people normally do in this situation?
I know it's hardly a big issue or problem but I thought I'd ask and hopefully get some help!

They're both nanna x a d grampy x

Yes surely this is the solution? Grampy Name and Nanna Name. Sorted. It's not unusual, I don't really see the big deal.

'Grampy' does sound creakingly old.

Grampy and Nanna?!! How can both sets want those names they're awful.

Can't one be nanny and one nanny, one gramp and one grampy?

My kids manage to call all the grandparents something completely different to what we started off calling them so that's easy enough. Tbh half the time i still call all 3(!) Grandfather's, Grandad even though none of them are called that by the children.

They'll get their own names for them, I wouldn't bother wasting time thinking about this. They can have the same names too it's not a big deal. There's 10,000 Avas at my kids school and they can tell them apart, I'm sure they can manage 2 nanny's.

Yeh we have 2 granny's here. Granny x or y when talking about them but just granny when they are physically there. My three year old has no issue working out who was who.

"My partner thinks we should just call my mum "Nanna X" & my Dad "Grampy X" and his parents "Nanna & Grampy" as that's what they are called by our nephew."

I don't think it's right that 1 side get first choice of names just because they had grandchildren first. I would go with adding their names when they arent around but just nanna and grampy when they're with you

You’ll find a way. My DC said Grandad with the red car, or Granny with the Lego, just let it evolve, unlikely to be any confusion.

The kids call them Nanna and Grampy , when you freed to them at home you say Nanna x or y whatever . Children are only small for a short time and this is really unimportant . My kids had one living grandad and 2 Nans , it was never an issue .

First come first served. Your ILs are already nanna and grampy so your parents need to pick something else.

It's Grandma or Nana (surname or first name) to differentiate.

If the grandmothers don't like this they have the option of changing to create a difference. This is not your responsibility. It's for them to work out.

Your in-laws are already Nanna and Grampy, and it makes sense for all their GC to call them the same thing.
Your parents could choose any other name they want, why are they so fixated on the names that have already been taken?
Either both sets of GP use their first name or some other sort of descriptors with Nanna and Grampy, or your parents choose something else.

When you are at home without either set of grandparents you can call them N&G surname, and when you are with them the are N&G. No need to put first names or surnames when you are with them, but you’d add it when referring to the other set, or differentiating between them when neither set are there .

ie we are going to “G&N fluffyted this weekend” or that cardigan was from “g&N daddykins”

I had 2 sets of Granny and Grandad. We referred to them by where they lived, but only when speaking about them eg "Granny in London said this". To their face they were just "Granny and Grandad". Surely that's easy and fine? (Whether you use geography or name or some other differentiator)

Mine have grandma Jane and Grandma Sue and grandpa Richard and Grandpa Bob

hardly a hardship

Between us, DH and our DC have/had

Big Grandma, Little Grandma, Grandma, Granny, Granny Scotland (where she lived) and Granny MadeUpNameByChild

Grandad, Grandad Martin, Granpa MadeUpNameByChild, and DM's partner who is not biological grandfather just known by an affectionate abbreviation of his first name. We also know of a grandmother called Anne, known as Graanne (name invented by small child).

Granny MadeUpName and Granpa MadeUpName (married to each other) were known by different nicknames by my cousins.

I think what I'm trying to say is, the kids will work it out regardless.

@Gall10 what's wrong with "Grampy"?
I know loads of young children who call their grandfather that.

Nanny and Grampy (surname), I think that's how most people do it

I've never heard this name. Must be regional.

This is bonkers. My grandmas were both "grandma surname". My parents and in law's are grandma/grandad first name .

This. The children will decide and it won't necessarily be what anybody expects but it will be so cute everyone will love it

If baby isn't born yet, you've got a while before the baby starts talking 😂 but my kids decided for themselves. MIL is Nana to her other GC's but Nanny stuck with my 2. So they call both sets Nanny and Grandad. My Nan, so my DC's great grandma wanted to be called GG (god knows why) but it never caught on, despite her trying her hardest to get them to say it 😂 she's Nanny as well. The kids just say Nanny x or Nanny y.

It won't be an issue by the time baby is talking.

We use Grandad surname with ours. Or because the grandmothers use different names, 'nanny and granddad' or 'grandma and grandad'.

To their faces just call them both Nanna. When referring to them they are Nanna Rose and Nanna Violet.

Nanna-initial, nanna-first name, nanna-surname, nanna-location.

I'd probably avoid physical features like grampy-fat or grampy-big nose.

Exactly this. The child isn't going to be addressing them as "Nanna X"