What's in a name?

I just read an interesting article in the New York Times about how today's "young-ish" grandparents don't want to be called the traditional names because they don't want to feel old.  I had to laugh as we were queried regularly as to what we wanted to be called when our first grandchild was about to arrive.  Her southern grandparents had a lot of ideas, including meemaw, peepaw, mimi, pappa -- I don't even know how to spell them (but you know who you are!)  At one point our son said "This is SO not a problem in my family!"  We were the more traditional grandparents, I guess, assuming we'd just go with "grandma" and "grandpa."  I have a good friend who managed to have "grandmother" stick with her grandson. 

So we went with the traditional but as soon as our oldest granddaughter began to talk, she shortened the "grandma" to Ahma and Ahma it has been.  The other grandkids took it up as well, and that's who I am.  My husband, on the other hand, remained "Grandpa Ken," until a younger grandchild shortened that to "Bompa."  A local grandson, who had another name for him by then, finally said, "I guess I'll call him Bompa -- everybody else does!"  When he really wants to get a point across or get his attention, he calls him "Bomp!"

And those southern name-calling grandparents?  Well, we have Ahma Peggy, Ahma Karen, and me!  I say let the kids name us, but we at least need to give them a starting point that they can morph!  And whether we choose a name we think will make us seem younger or not, you can't fool the kids.  One day my grandson said, "Ahma, you're really OLD!"  Yup, and I love being a grandmother, whatever you want to call me!