What Did You Call Your Own Grandparents?
Many times, the most comfortable name as a grandparent is the name that you called your own grandparents, or that your children called your parents. If you think about these names for yourself and for your spouse, consider which ones create the most warm and comfortable feelings for you both. Ease of pronunciation is good as well; the more syllables you come up with, the more likely it is that your grandchildren will modify them of their own accord!
What Would Your Children Prefer?
Your children are also going to be living with and hearing these names for quite a while, so run your top options past your children. Possibly, they will have one or two options that the specifically don't want, and you can work around that with you. A sweet and pleasant conversation about how you will be called can ensure that children don't hear "grandma" from one person and "gigi" from another.
What Are the Child's Other Grandparents Called?
Even if you discover that your favorite option for a name has been taken by the other grandparents already, accept this quickly and find your way to an identity with another name. For one thing, arguing over grandparent nicknames is a silly thing to do, and also your grandchildren and children will appreciate totally separate names that help everyone know who is who.
What Is Your Cultural Background, and Does it Have a Special Way to Speak of Grandparents?
As previously mentioned, some people prefer to look to their heritage languages other than English and pull a nickname for grandparents from those languages. Not only do these tend to be unique, they also offer you the option to share something about your cultural heritage with your grandchildren. Grandchildren love stories and your name can be a source of a great story when they discover that your name is different from the grandparents in their class at school.
What New Tradition Are You Interested in Starting?
Some grandparents prefer to pick a totally new name, free of all the background of their families or of the standard names. Make sure that it isn't so outlandish that the child won't recognize it as a name, but you'd be surprised: most two-syllable name sounds will work if introduced early enough! Just make sure you are certain, since children tend to resist changing the nickname for their grandparents after they grow accustomed to one particular name.
What Did Your Grandchild Actually Say First?
Many grandparents opt to wait and see what their child says. Often, hearing Grandma and Grandpa, for instance, the child comes up with "papa" or "mamaw" on their own, creating a simpler sound that becomes a source of comfort and sweetness for them. This is just as significant of a way to develop your grandchild's name for you, and there's nothing wrong with that!