The New York Times had an
article the other day about trends in grandparent names. Of course there was a faint "Baby Boomers don't want to get old" theme running through it, though I know many a Greatest Generation/Silent Generation woman who has opted for Nana or Gigi or Mimi, not Granny or MeeMaw. I
posted about my own choice of grandparent name before Liam was born and why GrandMary was chosen.
Seems the likes of Blythe Danner and Goldie Hawn - neither of whom are Baby Boomers, by the way - are opting for monikers like Lalo and GlamMa (ha!) rather than Grandma or Grandmother. In short, we love the experience, just not the cultural baggage of the title. Or so the article says. I'm not sure I agree, though I can't think of any grandmothers in my age group that go by any of the more old fashioned terms.
The only name I never considered for myself was Granny. I mean, that one really
does sound old. Yet, that was what my own mother chose for her grandmother name. My own grandmothers were called "Mama" (I think we called her that because that's what our mothers called her) and "Grandmother." Neither of those would've worked for me, either.
Of course, lots of times the grandchildren work out a name (as in the case of Danner's Lalo), and that's what sticks. It'll be interesting to see how GrandBoy handles the pronunciation of GrandMary. He's in control at this point. It may come out "Ginga" or "Gamry." We'll just have to wait and see.
So. Any Grannies left out there? Or are we headed to Lalo-land?
Of course, lots of times the grandchildren work out a name (as in the case of Danner's Lalo), and that's what sticks. It'll be interesting to see how GrandBoy handles the pronunciation of GrandMary. He's in control at this point. It may come out "Ginga" or "Gamry." We'll just have to wait and see.
