# What do you call the grandparents in your family? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 18, 2004, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-grandparents-in-your-family/225142 "2004-01-18T20:38:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![extendidwarranty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@extendidwarranty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/extendidwarranty)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2004, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-grandparents-in-your-family/225142/1 "2004-01-18T20:38:33Z")
Grandmother & Grandfather? Grosspapa Gran & Gramps Mother Johnson & Papa Grampa Smith & Grampa Jones Gumba & Meemaw Big Pops & Ma Big Pops … ---
**Author:** ![heater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/858c86/32.png) [@heater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heater)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2004, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-grandparents-in-your-family/225142/2 "2004-01-18T20:43:37Z")
Unfortunately, I call my grandparents “dead”. That’s part of the territory when you’re an old fart, I guess. 🙂 My kids call their’s Grandma and Grandpa. Which is what I used to call mine. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2004, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-grandparents-in-your-family/225142/3 "2004-01-18T20:46:54Z")
Grandma and Grandpa. No last names, as the grandparents were usually not there at the same time, so there was no reason for anyone to wonder who I meant by either name. For a while I did amplify my father’s stepmother to “Grandma Gerrie” because it seemed to hurt my maternal grandmother’s feelings for me to just call her Grandma. I still often refer to her as my Grandma Gerrie when talking about her, to avoid confusion with Mom’s mother. (This isn’t a problem with my grandfathers, since Dad’s father died when I was seven, and I’ve never called Grandma’s new husband by anything but his name. If I’m talking about something Grandpa did or said, people already know I’m talking about Mom’s father.) Grandma Gerrie’s other grandkids use Grandmother and Grandfather. My husband’s family use Mamaw and Papaw for his grandparents, and Granny and Pappy for his great-grandparents. ---
**Author:** ![big\_alex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e56c9b/32.png) [@big\_alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/big_alex)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2004, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-grandparents-in-your-family/225142/4 "2004-01-18T20:47:25Z")
I call mine Nana and Grandda. ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2004, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-grandparents-in-your-family/225142/5 "2004-01-18T20:54:09Z")
I called my mum’s Grandma “Gran” I call both my mum’s mum and dad’s mum “Grandma.” However if I’m talking ABOUT one of them I’ll somtimes add their first name on the end to avoid confussion. My dads dad died when I was about 4, so I don’t remember what I called him. My mum’s mum’s first husband I called “Grandad _first name_” (my biological grandad) However he died 2/3 years ago. I called my grandma’s second husband “Grandad” (my non biological grandad. They got married before I was even born though.) Sadly he died last month. Confused? Me too! ---
**Author:** ![Francesca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@Francesca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francesca)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2004, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-grandparents-in-your-family/225142/6 "2004-01-18T21:09:31Z")
I call my one remaining grandparent **Gandy** or **The Gand**. It’s because the first grandchild couldn’t say “granddad” and used “gandy” instead. I like it very much and intend to get my (future) children to call my dad “gandy”. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2004, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-grandparents-in-your-family/225142/7 "2004-01-18T21:31:25Z")
1. Vicious Old Bastard 2. Lesbian Control-Freak 3. Air-Headed Commie 4. Whining Psycho ---
**Author:** ![jesleigh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/58f4c7/32.png) [@jesleigh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jesleigh)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2004, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-grandparents-in-your-family/225142/8 "2004-01-19T05:30:51Z")
Ma & Papa MawMaw & Pawpaw pretty everyday common I guess. ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2004, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-grandparents-in-your-family/225142/9 "2004-01-19T14:53:01Z")
By the time I was born both of my dad’s parents had already passed on, so the only grandparents I’ve ever known are the ones on my mother’s side, so there’s never been a reason for me to make a distinction between two sets of grandparents. For as long as I can remember I’ve always called them Grandma and Grandpa. They’re both still alive, but my grandma has Alzheimer’s and she’s in a nursing home. She’s 85. My grandpa is 88 and he’s still going strong. ---
**Author:** ![foxymoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d26b3c/32.png) [@foxymoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foxymoron)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2004, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-grandparents-in-your-family/225142/10 "2004-01-19T15:22:55Z")
I never knew my mom’s parents. My dad’s parents are Grandma and Grandpa to all eleven of their grandchildren. My kid’s grandparents: My mom and her husband = Nani (or Nonny, depending on who is spelling it) & Grandpa (sometimes Grandpa Alan) My dad and his wife = Grandpa (sometimes Grandpa Ben) & Grandma **leenmi** ’s mom and dad (my in-laws) = Nana & Grandpop ---
**Author:** ![Roadwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@Roadwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadwalker)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2004, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-grandparents-in-your-family/225142/11 "2004-01-20T02:22:14Z")
my kids call my mom “grandmother” and wife’s mon “Tutu” )Hawaiian for Grandma) ---
**Author:** ![FaerieBeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@FaerieBeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FaerieBeth)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2004, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-grandparents-in-your-family/225142/12 "2004-01-20T04:30:06Z")
My maternal grandparents are Mimi and Pop\* The paternal grandfather is Grand-Daddy Houston and his second wife we just called by her first name. My maternal grandmother was Mama Billie\*. My maternal great-grandparents were Mammaw\* and Pappaw\*. My paternal great-grandparents were Grandmother Icy and Grand-Daddy Prince (Icy and Prince WERE their actual first names. I also have in my family- Princess, Duchess, Prince Jr., but that’s a whole 'nother post) Now, my children call my mom and dad, Grammy and Grand-Daddy, and Mimi is still Mimi, but Grand-Daddy Houston is now Great-Grand-Daddy Houston. My eldest two call their paternal grandparents Ma and Pa. My youngest doesn’t call his paternal grandparents anything, yet, but they prefer Grandma and Grandpa. FaerieBeth - = deceased ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Purl_McKnittington)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2004, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-grandparents-in-your-family/225142/13 "2004-01-20T07:21:00Z")
Dad’s parents: Granma and Granpa Mom’s parents (both deceased): Grandma Ruth and . . . well, Grandpa Delbert died before I was two, so I probably called him “Kitty” or “Fjord” (my version of fork). ---
**Author:** ![hyperjes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df705f/32.png) [@hyperjes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hyperjes)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2004, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-grandparents-in-your-family/225142/14 "2004-01-20T08:05:08Z")
My mother’s parents: Grammy and Pappy\* Bio-Dad’s parents: Gramma and Grampa\* Dad’s parents: Gram and Pap Dad’s paternal grandmother: Grandma Julia\* Dad’s maternal grandfather: Pap Grimm\* I never knew any of my other great-grandparents. - = deceased **d\_redguy** and I don’t have any kids yet, but here are some of our ideas on grandparent names: My Bio-Dad: Papa (Same thing I call him.) My Dad: Probably Pap, like his father is to me. My Mom: Grammy Headcase, because she’s crazy. **d\_redguy** ’s folks: Mr. and Mrs. LastName, because they annoy the snot out of us. Actually, we’ll probably let the future hyper-reds come up with their own names for the grandfolk- and yes, we’ll make sure they’re respectful ones. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2004, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-grandparents-in-your-family/225142/15 "2004-01-20T11:49:17Z")
Both my grandfathers died before I was born, but my two grandmothers were called **Granny** and **Grandma**. Grim ---
**Author:** ![Hokkaido\_Brit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d26b3c/32.png) [@Hokkaido\_Brit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hokkaido_Brit)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2004, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-grandparents-in-your-family/225142/16 "2004-01-20T11:58:46Z")
My kids have Granny and Grampa (English) and Baachan and Jiichan (Japanese). When my oldest boy was a baby he couldn’t say the Japanese names properly and called them Baba and Jiji, which would have been cute except it translates as “stupid old man” and “stupid old woman”! Luckily they thought it was funny, and as soon as he could talk properly he corrected himself naturally.