Grandmother Defends Growing Trend Of Non-Traditional Grandparent Names Like Mimi And Gigi
Martinan | CanvaGrowing up, many of us referred to our grandparents simply as “Grandma” and “Grandpa.” However, nowadays, kids have formulated all kinds of nicknames for their grandparents, from “Mimi” and “Lovey” to “Paw Paw” and “Gramps.”
For those of you wondering what happened to grandma and grandpa, one grandmother has the perfect answer.
The grandma explained why nontraditional names for grandparents are on the rise
In a TikTok video, Grandma DeeDee Moore shared her theories about why fewer grandchildren are referring to their grandparents by the traditional titles "grandma" and "grandpa."
“I've got two things to say about this. First, grandma and grandpa might have been the norm for your family, but they aren't for every family,” she noted. “In my family, there's been a different name for every generation, and none of them have been traditional grandparent nicknames.”
Ditching the traditional names for grandparents is nothing new
As a young child, you may not have even been able to pronounce “grandma” or “grandpa,” referring to them as something easier to say, like “grams” or “pop-pop.”
The nicknames stuck, and your younger siblings and cousins picked up on them, too. Sometimes, those mispronounced names become so sentimental that there is never a thought to correct them as children get older.
Parents conducted an Instagram survey to determine how grandparents' names are chosen in each family, and unsurprisingly, 45% left the decision up to Gammy and Paw-Paw.
36% let kids mispronounce their way to something adorable, the family adopted, 11% made a cultural or regional choice, and just 7% of parents took the reins and picked the name themselves.
The grandma also noted that some grandparents prefer to be called non-traditional names
Juan Pablo Serrano / Pexels
“There are plenty of reasons to want to be called something other than grandma. I'm not gonna list them all because the reasons are ultimately beside the point. It's a personal decision,” Moore said.
Some grandparents may believe that Grandma and Grandpa are boring and want something more original. Others may have never referred to their own grandparents as grandma and grandpa, and the titles feel unnatural. In some cases, different cultures have different names for the extended family that is preferred.
Whatever the reasons, there is no rule stating that grandparents must be called “grandma” and “grandpa.” It’s a personal choice, and every family is different.
Children, parents, and grandparents took to the comments section to share some of their own preferred nicknames for grandparents.
“I'm from a long line of different names for each generation, too. I just became a Nena last week,” one TikTok user revealed. “My mom wanted to be ‘Gram.’ My first called her ‘Dam,’ and my second called her ‘Pam.’ Her name is Tia,” another commented.
“I told my children that whatever comes out of my grandchildren’s mouths, they call me. I will respond to it, and it starts out as Papa and then turns into Grandpa, and that’s fine,” another shared.
No matter what your nickname is, as long as you’re present in your grandchildren’s lives and always cheer them on from the sidelines, they’ll love you whether you’re “grandma,” “MiMi,” “PawPaw,” "Gigi" or “Gramps.”
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, love, and relationships.
