Grandparents names....

[Greenjade]

Hi all,

Just wondering if you could please give me some advice. As this is the first grandchild on my DH's side, there is talk of what his parents will be called. My MIL wants to be called 'Ma'. I have a real issue with this as it is so close to Mum. Can I tell her she can't be called this? Or do I just have to go along with it?? :confused: Please help!!

[PinkBinkie]

I agree, ma is very close to mum.....
what about nanna or gran?

[Twiglet]

is there an ethnic reason for that name?

we let the child decide in our family.

[shanz]

nope your kid you say what you want!
You could tell her she can have Grandma, as if the bub is anything like my DS he cant get grandma out yet, she gets ma anyway. But i wouldnt have let her be just Ma either.

[Greenjade]

No there's no reason why, it's just she doesn't want to be Nana because she thinks it's too 'old'. But I was thinking of suggesting Nannie or just Nan.

[mummysangels]

my girls call our parents nan and pop and then my grandmother great nan.

[Twiglet]

No there's no reason why, it's just she doesn't want to be Nana because she thinks it's too 'old'. But I was thinking of suggesting Nannie or just Nan.
LOL - She sounds like my grandfather on my mothers side. Up until the day he died (85) we had to call him Daddy-JIm

If its not because its a name from thier "Home contry" ie the germans, asian etc then you need to discuss it with her and let her know how you feel

[Mummaholic]

I have heard of G'ma - pronounced Gramma...or maybe Gran?

[kirra]

Liam knows them as grandma but he seems to be saying nan or nanna a lot so in the end they will just be happy to be called something. For a while we were calling my mum gammie something different which annoyed her. In the end I'm happy for Liam to decide.

[trouble]

Well, we have a granma pearl (great grandma)

granny crystal ( great grandma)

DH family -nanna, nannas hubby is poppy,

and a sometimes grandad (as we hardly see his dad)

My parents are grandma and grandad,

And also mama who is also a great grandma, who wanted to be called ma, but I spoke to DG with the same concerns as you, and we settles on mama,

[RmumR]

I wouldn't like Ma either cause my DD calls ma Ma ma ma sometimes. My mum is known to my DD as Mardi and my XH mum is nanna, she also has my nan who is nanna jean for DD.

I would suggest you talk to her about how you feel and that you would prefer her not be called ma as that is too close to mum for you, give her some other suggestions or ask her if she has any other suggestions don't just settle for it cause your child and subsequent children will be calling her this for a very long time so you want to be happy with it.

[twotrunks]

My DH called his grandmother "mama", as in rhymes with karma but with long a's - does that make sense? The way they pronounced it made it nothing like mum.
But we've found "nan-nan" is one of their first sounds, so it is an easy one to encourage your kids to say.
Good luck.

[PrincessT]

OK in our family we have:

Nonna Rose - my mum (Italian for grandmother)
Papu - her husband/my stepfather (Greek for grandfather)
Nonno Tony - my deceased father who we still teach Allegra to call Nonno (italian for grandfather), so when she sees photos and we visit the cemetary she knows who to identify with.
Nonnina - liternally meaning 'little grandmother'. She calls my grandmother this as she is little. Although great grandmother in italian is bis-nonna.

Nonno Micky - my father in law (DH dad)
Babchia Teresa - My Mother in law (DH mother) Its polish for Grandmother.
Pro-babchia - DH polish grandmother, it means 'great grandmother' in polish
Nonna Vecchia - DH italian grandmother, it means 'old grandmother'

Sounds like a lot doesnt it??

[mum1986]

my ds calls my mum nonna, she didn't want to be called nanna kept saying she's not that old (she is 46- 42 when i had ds) or oma, have no idea where oma came from but she likes it and so do i. good luck with it though, they are your kids and ma is far 2 close to mum for most people so put your foot down (or just teach them to say grandma when she isn't looking lol.

[Greenjade]

Thank-you for all the suggestions and I'm glad that you all agree that Ma is too close to Mum. I'll just have to talk to her about it, because like you all say this is my baby and he will be using this name for a long time!!
Thanks again! :)

[misskittyfantastico]

I have to chime in and say....Ma?:no: My MIL was always happy to be grandma and then DD's cousin started calling her "Ma".....MIL loved it and tried to get DD to start calling in her that as well. I told her no, couldn't do it....it just didn't sit right with me.

[loulousmum]

We let the child decide as well - unless someone has a strong view (ie. my mum - below)

LouLou calls my MIL Ma Ma, which she came up with on her own. She calls my FIL Max which is pretty funny - it is actually his name but he is in his 80s and is the last person you'd think would get called by his first name!!!

My dad she calls PaPa.

My mum is Chinchy (she wanted to be called Incha - her middle name but the kids can't pronounce it yet).
I thought Incha was silly and didn't want a bar of it, but after going through childbirth and realising how much love I had for my new daughter and that I'd do anything for her, I decided that one small thing I could do for my mum would be let her decide what she wanted to be called!! I've not regretted that at any point....

[KrissyM]

My mum will be Nanna Di (thats what her step GD calls her)
My stepdad will be Grampy (Welsh word for Grandpa)
My dad will be Pa
FIL is already Pop
MIL is football Nan but she doesnt want to be called that with this one so not sure what she'll be. She'll end up as football Nan though DP's niece wont let it be any other way.
Not sure what MIL's partner will be havent asked yet he may just go by his name but not sure if I like that.
Kids often develop their own names for people anyway (eg football Nan) so what the Grandparents decide on may get changed anyway by the little bundles to come.
My parents asked me what I wanted them to be called, I told them I didnt care they had to live with it but I think Im glad noone wanted Ma I agree its too close to Mum.

[Seacretsquirrel]

I totally agree "Ma" is too close to Mum,
My DD has a very confusing group of grandparents (I think somethings are going to have to change)
My mum is Nanna dad is Grandad
MIL - Nanny FIL -Pa
My Nanna's -Mums mum is great Nanna
Dad's mum is Great Nana (see the subtle differences)
and finally DH's 'Aunty' Jenny is Nanna Jen.

Poor Poor DD this is too confusing for me let alone her.

(my sister is trying to get DD to call mum old ma which my mum hates but it is kinda funny)
Good luck with the talk with your MIL

[hayleysmummy]

My nan was always "MA"(up until her passing in 06) and to me it it sounded nothing like mum. My mum was always mumma, mum or mummy but my nan was MA. I guess it sounds normal to me because I have grown up with it but its up to you or bub whatever is easier for them to say they will say :thumbsup:

[loulousmum]

Hayley's Mum - I agree, Ma doesn't sound anything like mum after they get to be about 2 and are articulating words a bit better!! As for my son, he called everyone MaMa or MumMum until only a few weeks ago when he sorted out some other names!!!