Help - Grandma Names

Updated on August 30, 2007
B.S. asks from Escondido, CA
29 answers

My mom is driving me nuts! My daughter (her only grandchild so far) is over a year old now and my mom still says she does not want to be called Grandma, but she won't figure out a name she likes. She will not do "nana" or "granny". She is younger than a lot of grandma's (mid 40's) so she thinks she's too young to be called grandma. We tease her and call her "apple" because her last name/my maiden name is Smith, so apple is for Granny Smith apples.

Anyways, does anyone have a "unique" or "different" way of calling their grandma or you being called or whatever. I am going to go crazy!

Thanks,
B.

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L.B.

answers from San Diego on

Hi B.,
I'm a young step-grandmother to a 3 year old. He calls me Mimi...which is (I believe) French for Grandmother. I love knowing it's his special name for me! Hope you will all find something you can agree on!
L.

1 mom found this helpful
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V.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

Try Gigi. Which is the phonetic version of G.G., which stands for Gorgeous Grandmother. That's what we call my mom, and she LOVES it!

1 mom found this helpful
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B.S.

answers from San Diego on

My son calls my mom "Grammy", My husband's mom "Nana", and my step-mom "Mama Luz". Both Nana and Mama Luz did not want to be Grandma, but for different reasons. My husband calls his Grandma "Grandma", so his mom was afraid she would get confused, so she went with Nana. My step-mom just doesn't want to admit that she's old enough to be a grandma (even though her oldest grandchild is 14!) She is hispanic, so that's how she came up with Mama (Luz) is her middle name. Hope that helps. Oh, the Grandpas are "Gramps", "Papa", and "Grandpa Bill" respectively"
Good luck!!

1 mom found this helpful

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C.A.

answers from San Diego on

I can understand. My mother was 39 years old when I had my first daughter. My dad was totally into it and wanted to be "Papa" but my mom didnt know what she wanted to be called. She didnt want to be Nanny because she thought that was a really old woman's name. My daughter (now 11) started calling her Nana.. and it stuck, even though my mother was quite hesitant at first being called Nana. My youngest had problems with Nana and Papa... so she calls them "Papi" and "Nani".

I know I have called my own grandparents that I was the closest with unusual names since I was young. My grandfather is "Pahko" cuz I couldnt say grandpa when I was younger. And when I was about 6 my cousin started randomly calling my grandmother "Dear".... because Pahko came into the kitchen one day and said, "What's for dinner, Dear?" Your daughter will come up with her own name, and how can she resist being called it when it comes from such an adorable creature =)

Hope this helps.

2 moms found this helpful
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J.A.

answers from Los Angeles on

According to my husband, hispanic culture will often call their grandmas "Mama ______". Like my MIL is named "Socorro". The short form or nick-name is "Coco", so my son calls her "Mama Coco". My FIL's mom was called "Mama Cata" by the grandkids. ("Cata" is short for "Catalina".) Also, my Great-Grandmother was called "Oma", which is Dutch/German for "Grandmother". Try http://www.grandparentsmagazine.net/Articles/grandparentn... and see if "Grandmother in one of these languages is more appealing. Maybe she'e part Irish and one of these will catch her fancy: Mamo / Morai / Maimeo.

I would probably tell my mom that she has 2 weeks to choose a name or I'm teaching her to call you "Old lady"! J/K- kind of! LOL

I'm so glad that my son already had cousins on both sides! Someone else had to rage that battle for me. The names were inuse for 11 and 20 years (my side 11, hubby's 20) before our little man joined the family!

I hope you (and/or "grandma") find a suitable name soon. ~J.

BTW~ As many others have pointed out, at some point she will find her own way to say "Grandma". My sister's oldest started calling our dad "Pony" for a while, because he'd give "Pony Rides" on his back. My Mom used to call pictures of her Mom's mom "NoMom" because she was told "No, that's My mom" all the time by my Grandma. (My Grandma's Mom passed away when my G-ma was in her teens. And her Father passed away in her early 20's, so my Mom only new those grand parents in pictures.)

1 mom found this helpful
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H.I.

answers from Los Angeles on

my son calls my mother in law "nona". it is italian, i believe.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

We call our grandma Nani. No reason other than that's what my daughter started saying. So now it's Nani.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.K.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi B....
My Mom is also a young Grandma. She is 53 and has grandchidren that range from 20 to 2. She never felt to old to be "Grandma" but all of my siblings children and my son kinda gave her nicknames...
She is Gma...(pronounced geema) and Grammy. I don't know if your Mom would like either of those, but my Mom said she wouldn't mind sharing her names with her...LOL
Good Luck on "naming" your Mom...
J.

1 mom found this helpful
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A.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

No matter what you try to call her (or she tries to call herself) your little girl will soon come up with her own name for Grandma. We tried Mimi, Grandma, and GaGa but none stuck. My daughter came up with Granmommy one day and hasn't stopped calling her that.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.W.

answers from Los Angeles on

My Mom was like that when my son was born 5 1/2 years ago (and she had just turned 60 at the time, so quite older than yours!). She didn't want to be called Grandma, or Abuela (she's Puerto Rican) b/c she said it sounded like an "old woman". So, I called her "Abuelita" (little grandma...she's 5'0" tall!) around him since she wouldn't give me a better alternative. Well, I call my mom "Ma" and my son kept hearing me call her that, so he started to call her that as soon as he started talking just after he was about a year old, and she's been "Ma" ever since!

Incidentally, my son couldn't say "Grandpa" for my Dad and starting at about 9 months old, he started to say "A-Da" to refer to my Dad. My dad was so endeared by that, that when we tried to correct my son, my dad insisted we let him call him that. My dad is still called "A-Da" now!

S.

1 mom found this helpful
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N.H.

answers from Honolulu on

Oma is easy for a little one to say. It is German for grandma.

1 mom found this helpful
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A.E.

answers from Los Angeles on

i think you should keep calling her apple... you cant get any more unique then that...

1 mom found this helpful
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K.T.

answers from Los Angeles on

My grandmother insisted on being called Mimi (her name was Mildred) by all 9 of her grandkids and 9 great-grandkids.

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E.A.

answers from Portland on

i think "apple" is a lovely g-ma name!
also, you might find out what grandma is in other languanges, like lovey.

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J.E.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi B.

What about Memaw or Nawni or Yaya

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S.D.

answers from Los Angeles on

Well I have a few different ones! All my nieces have always called my mom "Grandma", mind you she became a Grandma at the early age of 35! Now, she has 5 granddaughters ranging from 17 all the way to 4 y/o. The little one which is my daughter Sammie came up with Macum (MA-COME). She could say Grandma yet, so it kinda stuck. Now all the girls call her by that. Other friends of mine call there's Mimi and Pop-pop for them. While other friends use the dutch-indonesian terms of Oma and Opa (sounds like Oh-ma and Oh-pa). If your mom doesn't mind apple and that is what your little calls her then that what she should be. Anything that you happen to label the grandma roll is done with love! Hope this helps you out! S.

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P.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

YIKES, my mom was only 40 when I made her a grandmother for the first time. She is 57 now so my other kids get to call her grandma, but back when she was 40 my daughter had to call her MUM. My kids still call her that sometimes, but now she is all about being a GRANDMOTHER. Try MUM out for size, and I hope you find something soon. Granny Smith Apples is a little scary. lol. P.

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K.F.

answers from Los Angeles on

That's a little sad, she must have her own insecurities, so you are kind to respect that. My Great Grandmother was called "Gammy". I never met her, but my Dad tells me that's what they called her. Maybe it's too much like Grandma, but it's kinda cute. Good luck.
K.
kellyis.stayinhomeandlovinit.com

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S.T.

answers from San Diego on

That is a little sad, most people are really proud to be grandmas or nanas no matter the age, she just gets to enjoy your daughter at a younger age, kind of a benefit. I would call her nana anyway and tell her to get over it already.

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S.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

My son is just turning three and I am 22. My mother and myself both had our first child at 19 so she became a grandma at 38. She as well did not want to be called Grandma however she likes Nana. My son still does not call her that though. We live with her so in his confusion between the two of us growing up he started calling her Mana. I think it's adorable and she has learned to love it as well. Maybe that could work for you? I am sure your child will pick the perfect name that she will love though. All in due time.

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B.R.

answers from San Diego on

My husband called his grandmother mimi.

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K.O.

answers from Los Angeles on

I was going to have my son call my mom "Grammy" because SHE actually picked out a name that I don't like! I didn't tell her I didn't like it, I just had my son try to start the "Grammy" thing. Because he was so little "grammy" never came out right, but rather evolved into "Mimi". So both of my boys call her Mimi and she loves it! I also know friends who for a reason I don't know or don't recall call their grandma "Mi-mommy". Maybe your mom might adopt one of these!

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J.I.

answers from Los Angeles on

How about Nani (nah-nee)? Nani is a hawaiian word that means beautiful, but it is also close to the word nana.......

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G.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

What is your mom's name? For example, if her name is Sarah your daughter can call her Mama Sarah or Mommy Sarah. We had the same situation, my mom was 45 when I had my daughter and that's what we did.

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S.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

My stepmother is called grandma, and we call her mom 'ga' because when my brother was little he'd call her gamma. I'm sure you can google alt. names for grandmas.

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D.J.

answers from Los Angeles on

My moms name is Martha. Shae has gone by Mott most of her life. Since my son was old enough to call her anything; he called her what he hear everyone else calling her: Mott. She doesnt mind. She probably doesnt want to be called grandma anyway. So find a name within your moms name for her to be called. Hope this helps.

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K.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

My mother in-law was the same way. So we never called her grandma we just called her by her first name. We thought when my son got to talking age he would give her a nickname. Well now that he is 6 she is still called Janice (her first name). NOW she hates it. She wants them to call her Grandma but my kids have it stuck in their brain she is just Janice. Boy does she get pissed off when they don't call her Grandma. Good luck with your mom. I also think the name Grandma means respect and love, it is not about how old you are. I will be proud to carry the name when it comes my time.

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C.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

Nana (can be pronounced Nah Nah or Nan ah), Memaw, Mamaw which we use for my Mom, Gram, Mamie or Nona :) Hope these help

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S.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

My father and stepmother decided on Papa and Ma. It's an Irish/Catholic idea from what my stepmother tells me.

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