NN for Grandparents

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-14-2005
NN for Grandparents
21
Mon, 11-14-2005 - 10:38pm

My MIL wants to be called "Oma" and "Opa" due to their German background. I can't help but think of the Oompa Loompa's from Willy Wonka. She refuses to be called "Grandma" because it sounds old to her. Does anyone have any good suggestions for nn for grandparents?

Thanks!

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Wed, 11-16-2005 - 11:23pm

We have an Oma and Opa and it works well with our kids ;)

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-12-2005
Thu, 11-17-2005 - 1:56pm
I like Oma and Opa. My DH and I are TTCAM and that's something we've talked about is how to distinguish my parents from his parents when we do have a child. His family is German but have always gone by grandma and grandpa. My mom's grandparents were mam-maw and paw-paw. I live in a town that's largely Greek and the call grandmothers Yaya and grandfather papou. I also like Grams and Gramp. I grew up calling all my grandparents grandma or grandpa followed by their name, but I like the idea of having at title that distinguished one grandma from another. Plus, if it's that important to them to be called oma and opa then I say let them have those titles. Best of luck! Kris
Photobucket
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-22-2005
Wed, 11-30-2005 - 7:27pm
I don't have a different NN for you, but this might help. Our 5 year old has called my inlaws Oma an Opa since he could talk. They wanted to be called that for the same reasons. At first I thought it was weird. I had nanny and grampy when I was little. My inlaws like that when they take him on an outing, if he yells Oma or Opa in a crowd of kids, they are pretty much guarrented that he's the one calling. Also, as of last month, my father-in-law got a license plate that said OPA. He loves it! He looks so cute driving around!
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-21-2005
Thu, 12-01-2005 - 1:44am

My nephews were calling MIL and FIL "Grammy" and "Boompah." They wanted DS to call them the same. When DS started to talk, he ended up calling MIL "Mimi." I like that he has his own name for her-- I think she does too. I think "Mimi" is really cute and doesn't sound as "old" as Grammy.

My parents are just Grandma and Grandpa.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-22-2005
Thu, 12-01-2005 - 4:41pm
I don't know how or where or who or what, BUT my son calls my parents "MaMa" and "Papa"..sounds like mawmaw and pawpaw...I don't know where this kid came from...lol
I am glad he came up with something different because he has 3 sets of grandparents and 2 sets of great-granparents! Going from house to house over the holidays to see all of them can get confusing when I tell him we're going to Grandma's house! GOOD LUCK
Lilypie - Personal picture
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-21-2003
Thu, 12-01-2005 - 5:11pm

I think Oma and Opa are cute! At least it's different than the usual Grandma and Grandpa.

For me, it was always Grandma and Poppop on both sides, and if we were talking "about" them instead of "to" them, we would take on the last name, i.e. Grandma Bilo or Grandma Meyer.

But my very Hungarian-Romanian great-grandparents were always Baba and Ya-ya, and I always thought that was cute. In fact, us kids always pronounced Baba similar to Bubba, which was a funny was to describe a tiny little 96-year-old woman who spoke no English.

I have friends that call their grandparents Amma and Abba, Mimi and Papa, Nana and Pop, etc. I think it's cool to have unique grandparent names!

Kate

katesigdone
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-07-2003
Thu, 12-01-2005 - 10:36pm

I think that her not wanting to be called grandma but willing to be called Oma is funny since it means the same thing.

My MIL doesnt want to be called either because she gets that being called grandma in another language does not change the meaning.

I understand your connection and find it funny but I wish my MIL would accept Oma. We have a made up word, Omama, for her so that she isnt called grandma in any language.

Whatever you all decide to call her when your child/ children are old enough they are going to call her what they want.

Good Luck

Corey

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-09-2003
Fri, 12-02-2005 - 12:39am
I think that is great. My mom is called Nona due to her being Italian. And my dad is just Papa

Sarah

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-15-2005
Fri, 12-02-2005 - 9:13pm
I called my great grandparents Oma and Opa due to their German background. I always felt special to have an Oma and Opa - none of my friends did! - and that made THEM even more special. It's important to keep our heritage alive and if that is what the grandparents wish to be called, I think you should respect that. Your children will always know their roots!
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-20-2003
Sat, 12-03-2005 - 11:08am

My friend always called her grandma "Grandmere".

Ali