I'm looking for some inspiration.

My mum wants to be called "Ma Ma", my MIL is "Grandma" and my FIL is "Papa". I asked Dad today what he wanted to be called (as this is their first grandchild) and he said whatever bubs decided to call him! I said that could be dangerous!! And he can't be "Pop" or "Poppy" as that is my SIL's daughter's name and I think it would get confusing.

What do/did you call your grandfather and what do your kids call their grandfather/s?

LJ

I wanted to make sure we had definite names for the two sets of grandparents, and my Dad was similarly unhelpful He said he'd be happy with whatever

We have Ouma and Granddad on one side, and Grandma and Papa on the other.

I had a Grandpa and a Papa when I was little. I agree steering clear of Pops would be wise!

Do you have any heritage in your family where they're called different names? Ouma is Afrikaans.

My kids call my Dad "Pa" (and my mum "Granna Smash", but that's a whole different story) and my FIL "Poppy". My husbands niece and nephew got dibs on naming rights there.

DH's cousin used to call her other grandfather "Bum-pot" because that's how Grandpa came out when she was little. Her kids call her Dad "Pop-Eye".

So ultimately, whatever you decide to call the grandies will probably be overturned by the first child who is able to speak. Just ask Granna Smash.

My grandparents were Nan and Pa, and Marnie and Bop.
Andrew and I don't have kinds yet, but our parents have grandchildren, and both sets have ended up as Nan and Pa, though Mum and I have already discussed her being Nonna to my kids when I have them because she and I have been learning Italian together.

I called my grandfather "Pa" and my great grandfather "Pop".

Ben calls my step-dad "Poppy" as that is hat my niece and nephew already called him. He calls my FIL (on the rare occasions he sees him) "Grandad", he was the first grandchild on that side so they just went with the name that DH and his brothers had used for the paternal grnadfather.

He does call both grandmothers "Nana" though. I didn't want this, I wanted separate names. My mum was already Nana but MIL insisted on also being Nana. He does get confused at times and generally if we say Nana he immediately thinks we are refrring to my mum.

My only living grandfather was Granddad. His wife (not my Mother's mother) was Grandma.

My DDs call my Mother, Nanny. My father whom they never got the chance to meet, is referred to as Poppy.

DH's Mum is called Nanna; his Dad is a nickname made from their surname (all the grandkids call him this shortened bit of the surname with a y on the end). Similar to Granna Smash (love it ), FILs name was decided by the first child!

Even though you don't wish to use Pop/Poppy, could you call him Poppy-<name> to differentiate? I agree it could get confusing to a small one though!

With regards to your Mum's suggestion for her being called "Ma Ma", it is very similar to "Mama" which from my recollection was our DDs first step to saying Mum. Just a thought to consider (and I don't mean to upset the apple cart or offend at all)

My IL's are Italian so they are Nonna and Nonno. My Mum didn't want Nanna or Nan (although she was banned from that anyway with a Nonna and Nonno already!!). Dad chose Grumps. He didn't want Grandpa and he is most definitely not a Pop or Poppy. No idea where he got it from but it he is stuck with it now and it actually suits him, not that he is Grumpy, but it just suits him iykwim.

When I was little I had a Grandpa, Grandma and Nanna.

Good luck!!

I would have to agree with this. My mum and dad are 'grandma and grandpa' to my older neice and nephew but to my DD x 2 and DS they are 'peema and peepa'.... no idea why - our eldest DD came out with it - try as i did to correct her, i was beaten down by my parents who thought it was 'gorgeous'.......

Suffice to say - it has stuck and 16 years later they are still 'Peema and Peepa'... makes it hard to buy cards and gifts though.... we had to have them made (including mugs - which they adored!).

When I was pregnant with Koby my dad said he didn't want to be granddad, grandpa, poppy etc because they sound too old, so he wanted to be COB (Cranky Old Bastard). My mum is Macedonian so she is called Baba, when Koby was born my dad decided to be Dedo (Macedonian for Grandfather). When Koby started talking he started saying Debo and it has stuck.

My mum's father is referred to as Big Debo (passed away 10 years ago), my mum's mother is Big Baba. My dad's mother is Nana and his father was originally Papa, which then got shortened to Parps but now my boys call him Parpsie.

I call my mum's mum, Nana. And all other grandparents are referred to grandma or grandpa in my parents' language.

I asked mum what she wants little one to call her and she refused Nana (I don't want to be like your Nana, she says), so we've chosen Meme - an informal/affectionate way to say grandma in French (my mum's 'other' first language). My dad doesn't seem to care what he's called - actually I doubt he's even thought about it...

DH'a parents will be referred to as grandma and grandpa in their first language.

Edit - I just realized I was no help at all, sorry!!

I think I might be the only one to disagree with going with whatever bubs uses when they learn to talk

Only because DH's family did this, and DH's eldest sister started saying "grandfather" and then they both had to call them "grandfather" and "grandmother" their whole lives even though they never felt comfortable saying it. IMO it sounds so stuffy and proper. There was never a closeness between them because DH felt like it always had to be formal with them. DH's dad liked it though so he decided to be "grandfather" too when my nephew came along. SIL (and everyone else!) hates it.

I just think little ones don't know what to call them, so if you have names chosen before they arrive you can teach them, the same way you would teach them "mum and dad" and it's cute when they are little and can't say it right, but not that cute when they are teens/adults and still expected to say it that way. Just my opinion though, I don't want to offend anyone!

My grandparents are German so they go by Oma and Opa. My dad will most likely go by Opa too when we have kids. My mum wants to be Nanna, and I will probably do my best to teach the kids to call the IL's Grandma and Grandpa instead of Grandmother and Grandfather (with the excuse that they are easier for little ones to say )

My mum is Nanna and her partner is Gandy (short from Grand Andy - which we really like). IL's are Grammie (she decided upon this name) and Grumpy he would not come up with a name so we (the descendants and partners) decided that this suited him perfectly, although he is isn't really grumpy but gets grumpy by being called this name haha! Though at the moment Joey often calls him GaGa - not sure if that will stick though!

My grandparents were Nan and Grandfather, Nan and Puppa (it was supposed to be poppa but my oldest brother mispronounced it and it stuck.) I didn't find grandfather formal at all :-) but I think grandma sounds uber formal. Perhaps it was my grandfather's exuberant personality. It's a mouthful of a name to learn though!

My parents are nanny and poppy. Dh's parents are nan jan and grandad. The nan jan is from dh's mum wanting a trendy name, not from any grandkids coming up with it. My PIL's are trying to change the "grandad" to "grah-grah" for my ds but I'm fighting against it as ds already knows him as grandad now but just isn't saying it yet, plus all his cousins know my fil as granddad and I think it's confusing to have a different name for one grandchild.

I also know a Grumps, a GG (grandma-surname), and a few other more modernised grandparents names from the baby boomer generation.
I think it's "in vogue" to have a unique grandparent name now. I don't really mind as long as it's not too wacky when the kids say it at school!

My parents are Nanna & Granddad and my PIL are Nanny & Poppy/Pop.

We have Grandma and Grandpa (my parents) and Gaga and Grandad (ILs).

One of my sets gets called Grandmama and Grandfafa but mostly to annoy them

Actually that is a good point about being careful about letting the kids name them, if A had his way my Dad wouldn't be Grumps it would be Dumps!!

at Dumps!
That is another reason I'm wary, who knows what they might come out with

Thanks girls!! I knew I could count on the I-doers!!



Not really, but might do some research to see if dad is happy to "adopt" a name from a different language.




at Granna Smash!! I am fully prepared for DS to modify the name, but I atleast want a starting point. I want to be able to talk to DS about Ma Ma and .....



My grandmothers were both "Nanna" as my sisters and I were the last grandkids on either side, so all the cousins had already paved the way years before, but we just differentiated between the two by using their surnames. But even though I don't remember being confused, I still want something unique for my dad to avoid the possibility of confusion.



Oh, not offended at all. It's pronounce more like Mar Mar, which is actually how mum wants it spelt, but I don't like the look of it!! Hopefully there will be enough difference between how DS says my name and Mar Mar. Thanks for the "heads up"!!



AnA927, you were helpful!! Any names are food for thought!



As I mentioned earlier, I atleast want a starting point. I guess it will just be a waiting game to see if DS modifies it in anyway, but I will certainly be correcting any embarrassing versions!!

Thanks again. You have certainly given me a starting point.

We had to have a long think about this, as I'm lucky enough to have all of my grandparents still alive. I decided to keep my grandparents as Nanny and Poppy, which is what I call them, and we asked the grandparents to think up a name. My Dad couldnt come up with anything, so I chose Pa.

My kids have:

Grandparents:
Grandma (my mother)
Nannu (My stepfather - and Nannu is Maltese)
Pa (My dad)
Nannafi (MIL)
Grandad (FIL)

Great grandparents:

Nanny and Poppy Hickey (last name of my mothers parents)
Nanny and Poppy Connor (last name of my fathers parents)
Buzz Nanna and Buzz Nannu (Step-great-grandparents) The Buzz is Maltese for 'great'
Grandmere (dh's grandmother who is French-Mauritian)

The kids have 3 - Pop, Pappy and Grandad.

We have
Nanny Kate and Pa (PIL)
Nanny Wiz and Pop/Poppy (my parents)
Grandma (DH's Grandmother)
Nan 2 (my Nan)

A friend's son calls her dad Grancha

I had Nana and Grandad and Oma and Opa (German grandparents) when I was growing up.

My MIL wanted to be Nana and Mum chose Oma (even though she wasn't the German parent). FIL wanted to be Grandpa but it has become just Pa since Jack has started talking and he seems to like that.

Some of us don't get to choose!

DH and I are both the youngest in our families so the grandparents were all named before our kids arrived.

So we have Grandma and....Grandma! Actually we call them Grandma and Grandma (surname). And because Grandma B lives in the UK they are never in the same room so the kids drop the surname when they are talking to DH's mum.

Growing up, I had Grandma & Grandfather (and still managed to have a close and loving relationship with him ) & Nanny & Poppy. My dad was Grandad to my nieces and nephews before he died (he wanted to be Grandfather but we wouldn't let him as we wanted to keep that as a special name to our Grandfather who we all adored).

As a kid I had Grandma and Grandpa on one side and Nana and Pop on the other.

My son has Grandma and Pa on one side, Grandma and Grandpa on another side and Grandad and (insert my dad's wife first name) on the third side. His great grandparents are Great grandma and Great Pa and Grandpa Ken and Nana.

We have Nanna and Ma Ma on one side (my niece couldn't say grand and said Ma Ma so it stick.

On the other side it is just grandma and grandad.

My MIL is Grandma, but both kids called her Mar Mar because they couldnt say Grandma. Keira now says Grandma but Liam still calls her Mar Mar.