What's In a Name?

I know of a woman who was known to her grandchildren as "Big Momma." This was back in the 50's and 60's before 'big' took on it's negative overtones. But even in the late 60's, I thought it was a very unflattering Grandmother Name. How does one get a name like that? Was she tall, "big-boned" (as my mother would say politely). Was she the matriarch, the boss, loud; or maybe just full of big love for her family. Who knows. I never met her.

I did, however, call my mother's stepmom "Bunny," until the day that she tried to teach a toddling Steve Jr. how to safely play on the stairs. She was so sore from sitting on the steps and bumping down each one at a time over and over again, that she was forever renamed "Bunny Bumps." My stepmother is called "Granny Mom," "Granny Goose," "Goose," or "Goosey" by grands, great-grands, and beyond. My mother was "MoMo." All these names express a level of intimacy beyond the more formal "Grandmother."

Boomer friends and relatives who've become grandparents have chosen, or been assigned, names; and some are really fun. Dear friend Jo is now "Josie" to her new twin grandsons. My friend Diane is known as "Grandma D." A little boy in Sunday School told me that his "Honey" was picking him up from class. Every child in Texas who knows my friend Kelly calls her "MiMi." In a few short weeks, she'll get to introduce herself to her first natural-born grandson. Grandfather names are pretty special too. I know a "Doc" and a "Duke" and a "DoDo" and several "Poppi," but my fave is "Dude."

I'd be interested to know what Grandparent Name you're called by or know, because we're still working on ours here.

Because of one comment I made in a previous blog about 'this Gringa Granny,' someone suggested that "GG" would be a good name for me. Cecilia and Will thought that was a good possibility at first. Then C pointed out that GG in Brasil stands for "Extra Large." While I'm easily twice the size of Daniel's other grandmother, Vovo Dora, I really don't want to be the Brasilian equivalent of "Big Momma."

Will, Cecilia, and I have been trying out "GiGi," and I think it's working. In the long run, anything that Daniel wants to call me is perfect! The first grandchild usually gets that privilege. Just hoping to spend as much time with him (and any other grandchildren in the future?) as possible. It's in that time that names are engraved on the heart--even names like "Big Momma."