Grandma Names - Revisited

I have been a grandmother now for just over three years. What a fun and joyful ride it has been. You always hear about how wonderful it is going to be, but sweet mercy, there is no understanding it until you experience it.

Back in 2008 when we were expecting our first grandboy, Tyler, I was mulling over what I wanted my grandma "name" to be. In my nearly 500 posts of blogging it has been my most searched and most read post. I still get emails asking me what name I went with.

I'm not suprised that this is such a popular topic. It is very serious. The grandma name you choose will be yours the rest of your life and it holds much love, significance and reverence when it crosses a little ones lips. It is a connection of hearts - one heart with just a few beats and the other with lots more mileage. It is a name that thrills you like nothing else the first time you hear it and indeed, every time after.

I knew I didn't want to have the traditional name "grandma". My grandchildren have many grandparents in their lives - blood and adopted. I wanted a name no one else would have and would set me apart so there would never be any confusion about who I was. Some people suggested I just go with Grandma Robin - which would work but I just didn't feel comfortable with having my grandchildren using my first name. Too formal I guess. Some folks told me to let my grandson pick my name out - nope, too impatient for that.

I ended up choosing "Mia". To me it sounded close to mama - my favorite name ever. It also was short and simple. I love the way it sounds. It is unique and special and everything I wanted. My husband is Poppa - although Ava Claire calls him Poppy more often than not. We are Poppa and Mia and we love feeling the sweet, close connection those special names imply.

I was a bit taken aback at the strong feelings people have about grandparent names. Some people just tell you to your face that it is "stupid" to have a name other than grandma or grandpa. Really? Some people refuse to use your grandparent name - that's okay. Other people love it and totally get it. Most often those are the people who can't wait to be grandparents. My grandkids are at the age where they are learning that grandparents are the parents of their parents and it's so fun to watch the confusion turn to understanding in their little minds. There is not a single doubt that they know us as their grandparents.

Here is a fun little quiz to help you decide what your grandma name should be. Click here and take the quiz and then let me know what it said. It's a good thing to start pondering this most special name early - and it's really the only time in your life you get to choose your own name!