I won’t got into specifics because that would clearly identify me to some who know my family (want to remain anonymous), but we had some strange names for some of my extended family, both directly and indirectly related.
I’d refer to my grandparents by their proper honorific titles, but my Dad always referred to his parents and Old Man and Old Lady. I don’t recall him calling them Dad and Mom in either in English or Japanese. His calls to them never included a title or name.
My Mom and her siblings always referred to her parents as M and F. I used to think that stood for Mother and Father, but it was the first initial of their names. I know for sure M was the first initial of my maternal grandpa. I have no idea of what either grandma’s names are. Again, I don’t recall hearing anyone using an honorific title when addressing them.
Some of my uncles and aunties were referred to by where they lived, so I had a Maui Uncle and Maui Auntie that I never knew what their proper names were.
My Mom’s brothers all had slightly degroative childhood names, including one that was a variation on the word shrimp because he was the smallest growing up. Everyone in my family, including extended, referred to all of them my their nicknames and I only know my Mom’s younger brother’s real name because I’d hear my grandma call him.
As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, Dad and his siblings were referred to nicknames whenever their mother visited them in the children’s home. To us, Dad’s brother was Uncle Buddy; his sisters were Aunt Tommie and Aunt Pee Wee. Pee Wee’s husband was called Shorty, I never knew his real name but I’m sure it’s on a family tree somewhere.
Our maternal grandmother was a ward of the state of Wisconsin so Mom was raised by one of her aunts, who we called Grammie. Grammie’s daughter was named Lucille; we called her Aunt Lu rather than referring to her as cousin.
On my husband’s side of the family, various aunts and uncles are (were): Toots, Chick, Mutt, Junior, Junie. But in my family, the only non-name appellation was my uncle Bud, whose real name was Howard.
My granddaughter’s current name for her paternal grandfather is YaYa, but she’s not yet 2, so once she learns English, that might change. Because other than him, most men are Papa. Ain’t toddlers adorable?
My mother’s grandparents both died at an advanced age and within days of each other, when I was 5 or 6 years old, I think. They were Russian/Polish Jews and we called them Bubbes (her) and Zayde (him).
ETA: last year my sister brought up the subject of our great grandparents. I had some memories I shared. I was surprised that my brother had no memories of them, until he pointed out that he is 6 years younger than I am, and has been his entire life.
Someone (on this board?) said something to the effect of "You new grandparents have a chance to pick your own nickname! Don’t put up with Nonna, go for Thunderstrike!"
In a family I know fairly well: the eldest sister is called Sis by all her siblings as well as by her own mother and father. Her nieces and nephews call her Aunt Sis. I don’t know her real name but I do know it’s not Sis.
My daughter called my sister Auntie, which makes sense. Then, when sis became a grandma, sis chose to be called nana. My daughter then began calling her Auntie Nana. Sis’s oldest grandkids call her Nana (first name) and her youngest grandkids call her Grandma Nana. The youngest were asked what her real name is. Nana, of course.
