At Least You'll Get a Kick Out of Them
I've acquired quite a collection of grandparent nicknames since I began writing about this topic. Many of these were contributed by my grandmother readers and grandfather readers, but others came via email or blog comment.
Enjoy!
Loli and Pop: A grandmother in search of something different settled on Loli for the grandmother and Pop for the grandfather. Together, of course, they are Lolipop.
Jama: Suggested for a super-young grandmother, this grandmother name is just jamming!
BooBoo: A grandfather who played peek-a-boo with his grandson ended up being called Booboo. It just so happens that his wife is called Nana, so together they are NanaBooboo.
Busoma: This name is a combination of one of the Polish names for grandmother, Busia, and the Dutch/German name, Oma. It was created by a grandmother to honor her own and her husband's nationalities.
Nama: With a great-grandmother named Nana, this grandchild created Nama when she couldn't quite pronounce Grandma. Her Nama calls it "the perfect blend of Nana and Grandma." Yes, a grandparent name that a grandchild invents can be extra precious.
Oompa: A grandson who couldn't quite pronounce Grandpa called his grandpa Oompa, which just happened to be perfect since the grandfather was a professional trombone player.
Suggy: A grandmother who always called her granddaughter Sugar Plum or Suggy had the favor returned when her granddaughter started called her Suggy. With the first syllable pronounced like the first syllable of sugar, this is a pretty sweet name. Some spell it Shuggy or Shug.
Dama: A grandchild who couldn't pronounce Grandma came up with Dama, which is Spanish for lady.
Mia: A grandmother whose own grandmother was named Amelia chose a shortened form to honor her. Of course, it helped that the first grandchild's middle name is Amelia, so the name is also a unique way of linking five generations..
GrahamCracker: This is another sweet grandmother name, sometimes spelled GramCracker and sometimes used as a pet name for a grandmother who is usually called Gram.
MyMy: A grandchild came up with this name. When she was old enough to explain her choice, she said it was because her grandmother belongs to her.
GaGa: Since so many grandmother names begin with the "g" sound, it's not surprising that a number of grandchildren have come up with GaGa, but the choice is somewhat complicated by the rise to fame of a certain singer.
Amma: A grandmother who rejected many names as being too cute opted for this one, which in some cultures means a spiritual mother.
Botchie: A grandson who was instructed to call his grandfather Pops somehow came up with Botch, which eventually evolved into Botchie. The name has interesting connotations, but Botchie is cool with that.
PawDad: This is another name for a grandfather cleverly invented by a grandchild.
Yannie-Yannie: Granny Annie somehow got turned into Yannie-Yannie by a grandchild.
Some stories from The New Grandparents Name Book:
Toot: A grandfather who wanted to honor a friend from Hawaii chose the name Tutu Kane, but the grandchildren soon shortened it to Tutu and then to Toot.
Bubba and Bama: A couple of grandparents were thrilled when their grandson started using Bubba and Bama as their grandparent names. They had wanted their names to reflect their Southern roots, and these clearly do.
Pam-ma: A young grandmother rejected Grandma but okayed this variation on her given name of Pam.
From You Can Call Me Hoppa:
Bop-Bop: A grandfather who had decided to be Pop-Pop changed his mind when his granddaughter called him Bop-Bop and added a little dance.
Grand-dude: A grandfather who loves surfing came up with this moniker.
More About Names
If you are a grandparent in search of a grandparent name, you might want to check out these pages:
Grandmother Names
Grandmother Name Quiz
Ethnic Names for Grandmothers
Grandfather Names
Grandfather Name Quiz
Ethnic Names for Grandfathers
Just remember: Until your grandchild actually starts calling you by your chosen grandparent nickname, you are in limbo. You could still end up being called Grumpy or Grandma Toots!