# Need Help with "Grandparent Names"



## Marrow Man

Incidentally, I baptized our daughter Grace Cameron Phillips during our worship service today. What a great privilege for a pastor and a dad!

Anna's parents came for the baptism. Her dad is of Finnish descent. We were talking about possible "grandparent names" (how she will address them). He likes the European "Opa" instead of grandfather. Anna's mom is still deciding. I think my mom wants "Grandma." I suggested that Anna's mom (of Scottish descent) might want to consider a "Scottish" name. I don't know if such a thing exists. I do know we have a few Scots (Great Scots!) here on the PB, so my question is this: is there an "old country" Scottish name for a grandmother that would be "unique"?


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## lynnie

I would let the grandparents pick. My inlaws wanted to be Grandmom and Grandad, and my parents wanted to be Grammy and Pop Pop. My sister had inlaws that wanted to be Opa and Oma. I had a set of grandpaents whose last name started with O and they wanted to be PopO and MomO. 

Saw this with google...Scots and then some....Please Send An Endearing Term for Grandma and Grandpa in Your Language | Mama Lisa's World Blog

Congrats on the baby by the way, how wonderful it must have been with your very own child!


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## Edward

We went with Opa and Oma for the Germans, and what the oldest cousin had already assigned to the American set.


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## Curt

I never got much say in the matter. When our first grandson was born my wife and daughter decided. We became Doc and Marmee.


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## dudley

I am "PaPa" to my first grandson who is now 18 months old. I was going to be grandpa for a while than decided Poppy would be great. My son and daughter-in law started to say Poppy to Luke but when he started to talk he decided to call me "PaPa". Now I love "PaPa" because its what Luke decided to call me. Usually grandchildren will decide for you. Lol.....anyway let the grandparents pick the name they like and then the grandchildren will usually personalize it and I think you will all fall in love with it.....that is my suggestion. My second grandchild is due next September .. we will see what happens with # 2 usually the other granchildren will follow what their older siblings decided before them. If you go on the internet you will find similar advice and different names for different nationality decents. However I think this is one privilege that really belongs to the grandparents. Let your folks decide what they like and then let the kids do what they will to make it special and personal.


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## Marrow Man

BTW, we are letting the grandmother pick her name, but we wanted to give her "suggestions." She liked the idea of perhaps selecting a Scottish name.


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## dudley

Thank you for your "thanks" .....like I said let her her as the grandmother pick a Scottish name...search the internet-go to google or any search engine you use... main point.... is in my estimation.... let that decision belong to each of the grandparents and like I said the grandchildren will personalize it anyway and it will be more meaningful and even more personal.


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## reformedminister

My wife's oldest son (24) has a three year old little girl. I have been his stepdad and married to his mom since he was thirteen. We have a seven year old little girl together. Anyway, we are "young" grandparents. My wife is forty- one and I am only thirty-nine. Grandma and grandpa just doesn't fit us. We go by "Poppy" and "Nanna". These aren't Scottish or German but they could be thrown into the hat. Definately let them choose. Both our son and the child's mom were trying to teach our granddaughter to call me "Pa Pa" and I was offended because I had already requested "Poppy."


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## Marrow Man

Andy, I am older than you (42) and a first-time parent !!! I hope I don't become "Poppy"!


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## JennyG

The only Scottish Grandma-name I know of is Nan, or Nana.
We called my own dad's mother "Nana" but I have a feeling the shorter "Nan" may be more common now. You hear "Gran" a lot too, but it isn't distinctively Scottish I don't think.
"Papa" is quite common round here for a grandfather. Mine had died long before, so I have no personal input on that! My other grandparents were Geordies, and known as Granda and Grandma.


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## reformedminister

It is kind of strange actually, especially when I introduce my stepson to clients (he works for me). Most recently the homeowner asked how old he is and I responded with "almost twenty-five". The homeowner said, "you look twenty five". He was just being kind. I don't look a day over thirty five.  I have gotten used to it. My little girl (my only biological child) is only four years older than my "grandaughter".


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## Scottish Lass

I promise, we're letting my mother choose---she simply hasn't committed to anything and would almost prefer we chose, within reason. We know Grace will personalize it later, but we want some consistent way to refer to them when we talk to Grace until she begins to talk--i.e. "Opa does such a good job changing your diaper!", etc.


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## JennyG

I was mystified at first when I saw "Poppy" suggested for a grandfather's name, until I twigged that it was connected with "Pop".

In my mind "Poppy" is and always will be a girl's name - from the flower. I think it makes a very pretty one, and I know of several sweet girls who are called by it! Don't you have that in the US?


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## Tripel

My parents go by Oma and Opa, due to Dutch roots.


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## Scottish Lass

JennyG said:


> In my mind "Poppy" is and always will be a girl's name - from the flower. I think it makes a very pretty one, and I know of several sweet girls who are called by it! Don't you have that in the US?


 
I know the flower, but have never met anyone with the name.


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## ericfromcowtown

We used "granny" and "papa" for my wife's parents, and "oma" and "opa" for my wife's grandparents. My parents became "nana" and "danda." Danda is the only one that isn't common - it's apparently a slang term from northern England that we always used as kids to refer to my paternal grandfather who had died in WWII.


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## JennyG

ericfromcowtown said:


> We used "granny" and "papa" for my wife's parents, and "oma" and "opa" for my wife's grandparents. My parents became "nana" and "danda." Danda is the only one that isn't common - it's apparently a slang term from northern England that we always used as kids to refer to my paternal grandfather who had died in WWII.


I don't think that's exactly it - in the north of England they do call grandfathers "Granda", and "Danda" sounds to me like a sort of baby version of that, you know, as pronounced by a little one who can't quite pronounce. I would lay money on its never having been a genuine variant. (though on this board I tend to talk as if I'm pure Scottish, and I have lived here all my adult life, truth be told by blood I'm actually a bit of a hybrid, with very strong links to Geordie-land) (so there)


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## ericfromcowtown

JennyG said:


> ericfromcowtown said:
> 
> 
> 
> We used "granny" and "papa" for my wife's parents, and "oma" and "opa" for my wife's grandparents. My parents became "nana" and "danda." Danda is the only one that isn't common - it's apparently a slang term from northern England that we always used as kids to refer to my paternal grandfather who had died in WWII.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't think that's exactly it - in the north of England they do call grandfathers "Granda", and "Danda" sounds to me like a sort of baby version of that, you know, as pronounced by a little one who can't quite pronounce. I would lay money on its never having been a genuine variant. (though on this board I tend to talk as if I'm pure Scottish, and I have lived here all my adult life, truth be told by blood I'm actually a bit of a hybrid, with very strong links to Geordie-land) (so there)
Click to expand...


Well, I googled it once and couldn't find anything. But, we had a cousin of my dad's from Newcastle stay with us last year and she confirmed that it was a word that was used. In any case, that's the name we diaspora Geordies have been using for a few generations on this side of the pond. Even if it is bastardized, we've grown fond of it.


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## JennyG

ericfromcowtown said:


> JennyG said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ericfromcowtown said:
> 
> 
> 
> We used "granny" and "papa" for my wife's parents, and "oma" and "opa" for my wife's grandparents. My parents became "nana" and "danda." Danda is the only one that isn't common - it's apparently a slang term from northern England that we always used as kids to refer to my paternal grandfather who had died in WWII.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't think that's exactly it - in the north of England they do call grandfathers "Granda", and "Danda" sounds to me like a sort of baby version of that, you know, as pronounced by a little one who can't quite pronounce. I would lay money on its never having been a genuine variant. (though on this board I tend to talk as if I'm pure Scottish, and I have lived here all my adult life, truth be told by blood I'm actually a bit of a hybrid, with very strong links to Geordie-land) (so there)
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Well, I googled it once and couldn't find anything. But, we had a cousin of my dad's from Newcastle stay with us last year and she confirmed that it was a word that was used. In any case, that's the name we diaspora Geordies have been using for a few generations on this side of the pond. Even if it is bastardized, we've grown fond of it.
Click to expand...

she must have been from the wrong part of Newcastle.
next time you see her, ask her if she knows my Auntie Muriel from Low Fell


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## Ivan

Our grandson calls us Memaw and Peepaw. If you google them it says that it names used by uneducated Southerners. Ummm...okay. I actually don't know where he came up with those names. I called my grandparents, gramma and grampa, but I wasn't very educated at the time either.


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## JoyFullMom

The Dutch grands are Opa and Oma. 

My parents are Grandmother and Grandad...until my nephew came along and *personalized* them to Marvin and Dang. :giggle: Yes, he *thought* he was saying Grandmother and Grandad. LOL!


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## Ivan

JoyFullMom said:


> The Dutch grands are Opa and Oma.
> 
> My parents are Grandmother and Grandad...until my nephew came along and *personalized* them to Marvin and Dang. :giggle: Yes, he *thought* he was saying Grandmother and Grandad. LOL!


 
I like your nephew.


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## JennyG

Ivan said:


> Our grandson calls us Memaw and Peepaw. If you google them it says that it names used by uneducated Southerners. Ummm...okay. I actually don't know where he came up with those names. I called my grandparents, gramma and grampa, but I wasn't very educated at the time either.


are you sure your grandson isn't just trying to imitate a police car siren?


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## Ivan

JennyG said:


> Ivan said:
> 
> 
> 
> Our grandson calls us Memaw and Peepaw. If you google them it says that it names used by uneducated Southerners. Ummm...okay. I actually don't know where he came up with those names. I called my grandparents, gramma and grampa, but I wasn't very educated at the time either.
> 
> 
> 
> are you sure your grandson isn't just trying to imitate a police car siren?
Click to expand...


Only if he were in Europe.


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## JennyG

Ivan said:


> JennyG said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ivan said:
> 
> 
> 
> Our grandson calls us Memaw and Peepaw. If you google them it says that it names used by uneducated Southerners. Ummm...okay. I actually don't know where he came up with those names. I called my grandparents, gramma and grampa, but I wasn't very educated at the time either.
> 
> 
> 
> are you sure your grandson isn't just trying to imitate a police car siren?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Only if he were in Europe.
Click to expand...

maybe not educated then but definitely cosmopolitan


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