Coming up with grandparent names can be surprisingly difficult.
After I told my mom I was pregnant with my older son she cautiously asked, “What do the kids call Helen?”
Crap.
My mother-in-law already had three grandchildren under her belt and they all call her ‘Grandma’. I braced myself as I told my mother that ‘Grandma’ was kind of taken to which she shouted, “Can I be Nana then?!? I want to be called Nana!!”
Turns out she loved her Nana and wanted to be a glorious Nana to my kids.
Oh, okay, Nana it is. Phew.
My dad wanted to be called, ‘Jeff’ because “that’s his damn name” but I wanted something that was grandpa’ish without being Grandpa because my Father-in-law already held the title. Sure, they could share the name but I wanted everyone to have their own handle because it seemed easier.
What wasn’t easy was finding name options so I asked readers what was used in their families and, man, do I have a list for you!
Here are all the suggested grandparent names and nicknames in alphabetical order.
I think my favorite has to be Annie and Bruce – it isn’t even remotely close to their real names but something they wanted to be called.
Maybe I should have named dad ‘Jeff’ instead of ‘Grandad’ after all.
Grandparent Names
Here's a very long list of all the great names for grandmas and grandpas out there.
Grandmother names:
A
- Aanaga (Aana commonly) (maternal Inupiaq Eskimo)
- Abuela (maternal Formal Spanish)
- Abuelita, Uelita, Tita, Abby, Abbi, Lita (maternal informal diminutive Spanish)
- Aggie
- Ajji (maternal Southwestern – India)
- Ama
- Ama sani (maternal grandmother Navajo)
- Amatchi (maternal Basque (region in NE Spain/SW France)
- Ambuya (maternal African Shona dialect)
- Amm
- Amma (maternal Icelandic)
- Ammamamma (maternal India)
- Ammaw
- Amona (maternal Basque)
- Anneanne (maternal Turkish)
- Anya, Yanya (maternal informal Hungarian)
- Anyoka, nagyanya (maternal Hungarian)
- Anyu
- Apohang babae (maternal Formal – Filipino Cebuano)
- Audie
- Àvia, Iaia (maternal Catalan Spain) (used by small children)
- Avino (maternal Esperanto)
- Avó (maternal Portuguese)
- Avoa ( maternal Galician)
- Awa (maternal India)
B
- Ba (maternal Vietnamese)
- Baba (maternal Ukranian)
- Baba, Mica (maternal Serbian)
- Babaanne (maternal Turkish)
- Babicka, Babi (maternal Slovakian)
- Babka, Babcia, Babcia, Baba, Boucha, Busia, Busha (maternal formal Polish)
- Babs
- Babushka, Busha, Buka, Baboo (maternal Russian)
- Baka (maternal Croatian)
- Bammer
- BB, BeBe
- Bé già, Ba (maternal Informal Ba Vietnamese
- Bebia (maternal Georgian)
- Bedstemoder (maternal Formal Danish)
- Beppe – (bep-ah maternal Frisian)
- Bestemor, Godmor (maternal Norwegian)
- Beybey
- Bibi, Nyanya ( maternal African Swahili)
- Big Meme
- Bo
- Bomma (maternal Flemish)
- Bubby, Bubbe, Bube, Bubbie (maternal Yiddish)
- Bumba
- Bunica, Bunical (maternal Romanian)
- Bunny
- Buyuk Anne (maternal Turkish)
C
- CeCe, ChiChi
- ChooChoo
- Cookie
- Cuppa
D
- Da
- Dada / Dada-Abu/ Dadajaan (paternal Grandmother Urdu)
- Dadie / Dadiejaan / Dadie-Amma (maternal Grandmother Urdu)
- Daadima (maternal Hindi – India)
- Dandy
- Danh tá (maternal Formal Vietnamese)
- Deeda
- DeeDee, DiDi
- Deedle
- Dida, Didima (maternal Grandmother Bengali – India)
- Dido
- Donda
- DooDah
E
- Elisi (pronounced similar to ay-lee-see) (maternal Cherokee)
- Enisi (ay-nee-see) (paternal Cherokee)
F
- Fafa (paternal grandmother Danish)
- Farmor (paternal grandmother Sweden)
G
- Ga
- Gabba
- Gamma
- Gam Gam
- Gee, Gee-ma, Gee-Mama, Gege
- GG, Giggy, Gigi
- Gigia, YaYa (Greek)
- Gima
- Ging
- Gjyshe (Albanian)
- Glama
- G-Ma
- Godmor, Bestemor (Norwegian)
- Goobie
- Goona
- Gr-mere, Meme (informal French)
- GraGra
- Gram
- Grammie, Grammy
- Grambo
- Gran
- Grand-mere (formal French)
- Grandma
- Grandma Nana
- GrandMaman (semi-formal French)
- Grandmama
- Grandmommy
- Grandy
- GranGran
- Granni
- Granna (combination of Grandma and Nana)
- Grannie
- GrannyMama
- Grootmoeder (Dutch)
- Grossmami (Formal Swiss)
- Grossmutter (Formal German)
- Guggy
- Gummy
H
- Hajurmua – shortens to Mua (Nepal)
- Halmoni (maternal Korean)
- Hammaw
- Henna (maternal African Berber dialect)
- Honey
- Hopie
J
- Jadda, Teta (Syrian)
- Jaddah, Jiddah (maternal Formal Arabic)
- Jaja, Zsa-Zsa, Busha, Gigi (maternal informal Polish)
- Jaryi (maternal Guarani)
K
- Kapuna Wahine (maternal Formal Hawaiian)
- Kuku, Tutu Puna (maternal Informal Hawaiian)
L
- Lala, Lela
- Lola (Tagalog Philippines)
- Lolly, Lolli
- Lolo (maternal informal Filipino)
- Lovey
M
- Ma-Gar
- Ma-maw
- Ma’saani (maternal American Indian Navajo)
- Maataamahii (maternal Grandmother Sanskrit)
- Madar Bozorg (maternal Farsi)
- MaeMae, Mah-meh
- Maimeo (maternal Informal – Irish/Gaelic)
- Makhulu (maternal African Venda dialect)
- Mamaay (paternal Aborigine Australian)
- Mamae
- Maman
- Mamar
- Mamgu maternal Southern Welsh)
- Mami, Mamie
- Mamm-Baour (Breton NW France)
- Mamm-gozh (maternal Breton)
- Mamo, Mamoo
- Marmee
- Mater
- Mavoureen (maternal Informal – Irish/Gaelic)
- MawMaw (maternal Cajun)
- Meema
- Meemer
- Meepa
- Mémé (maternal Informal French)
- Memere
- Metzmayr (maternal Armenian)
- Mimi
- Mimiere (maternal French Canadian)
- Mimz
- Mimzy
- Mociute (maternal Lithuanian)
- MomMom
- Momo
- Momsie
- Momu (maternal Aborigine Australian)
- MooMaw, MooMoo
- Morai (maternal Informal – Irish/Gaelic)
- MorMor (maternal Grandmother Norwegian & Swedish)
- Mummo ( maternal Finnish)
- MumMum
- Muner
- Munga
- Mutti
N
- Nagyanya (Formal Hungarian)
- Nahnee
- Naini, Nain (maternal Northern Welsh
- Nali’ (paternal Grandmother American Indian Navajo)
- Nami, Nan, Nani
- Nana, Nanna
- Nanni (maternal Grandmother Urdu India) Nannie, Nanny
- Nanu (maternal Bengali)
- Nenek (Indonesian)
- Nenibe (Malagasy)
- Neske’e (maternal American Indian Cheyenne)
- Ngin (paternal Grandmother Cantonese)
- Nina
- Nini
- Ninny
- Nkuku (maternal African Botswanan)
- Nona, Nonna (maternal Italian)
- Nookmis (American Indian Ojibway)
- Nookomis (American Indian Ojibway)
O
- Oba-Chan (maternal Formal – Japanese)
- Obaasan (maternal Formal – Japanese)
- Obaba (maternal Informal – Japanese)
- Old Meme
- Oma (maternal informal German, Dutch)
- Ommy
- Ouma (maternal Afrikaans)
P
- Pathi (maternal Tamil)
- PoPo (maternal Cantonese)
R
- RahRah
- RooRoo
S
- Safta (maternal Hebrew)
- Sasha
- Sassy
- Savta (maternal Hebrew)
- Seanmhair (maternal Formal – Irish/Gaelic)
- Senele (maternal Lithuanian)
- Sitti (Lebanese)
- Sobo (maternal Formal – Japan)
- Stara Mama (maternal Slovenian)
- Sugar
T
- Tata
- Tatik (maternal Armenian)
- Teta (informal Arabic & Syrian)
- Thakur-ma (Bengali Paternal – India)
- Tipuna Wahine (Aborigine Polynesian Maori dialect)
- Toots
- TuTu (Informal Hawaiian)
U
- Ugogo (African Zulu dialect)
- Umakhulu (African Xhosa dialect)
- Una
V
- Vanaema (Estonian)
- Vavo, VuhVuh
- Vecmate (Latvian)
W
- Wài pó (maternal Grandmother Mandarin)
- Weeto
Y
- Ya (maternal Grandmother Thai)
- Yai (paternal Grandmother Thai)
- Yanya, Anya (Informal Hungarian)
- Yaya, Gigia (maternal Greek)
Z
- Zsa-Zsa, Busha, Gigi, Jaja (informal Polish)
- Zumu (paternal Grandmother Mandarin)
Grandfather names:
A
- Aba (paternal Guarani, South America)
- Abuelito, Tito, Lito (paternal informal diminutive Spanish)
- Abuelo (paternal formal Spanish)
- Afi (paternal Icelandic)
- Agiduda, E-du-di (paternal Cherokee)
- Aitona (paternal Basque)
- Ajja (paternal Southwestern India)
- Ampa
- Apohang lalaki (paternal, formal Filipino)
- Ataataga (paternal Eskimo, Inupiaq dialect)
- Aviah (paternal Catalan)
- Avô (paternal Esperanto, Galician, Portuguese)
B
- Baba (Turkmen)
- Babagjysh (paternal Albanian)
- Babakoto (Malagasy)
- Babu (Georgian & paternal Swahili)
- Bamper
- Bedstefader (paternal formal Danish)
- BeeBop
- Bestefar (Norwegian)
- Big Bear
- Big D
- Big Papa
- Big Pepere
- Bobo, Doda (Uzbek)
- Bonpahttp, Bonpa (Flemish)
- Boochie
- Boom-pa
- Boopa
- Bop-O
- Boppa
- Boss
- Boy
- Bpoo (paternal Grandfather Thai)
- Bubba
- Bug
- Bullet
- Bumpa
- Bumper
- Bumpie
- Bungie
- Bunic, Bunicut (Romanian)
- Bunky
C
- Cebuano (Filipino)
- Chei (maternal Grandfather Navajo)
- Commander in Chief
- Cuppa
D
- Da
- Daa-daa-jee (paternal Hindi)
- Daada (paternal Grandfather Gujarati)
- Dad
- Dadju (paternal formal Ukranian)
- Dadu (paternal Grandfather Bengali)
- Daidoe, Daddo (paternal informal Irish/Gaelic)
- Ded (Slovenian)
- Deda (Serbian)
- Dede (paternal Turkish)
- Dedek, Dedi (Slovakian)
- Dedushka (paternal Russian)
- Dido
- Djed (paternal Croatian)
- Duke
- Dumper
- Dyado (paternal Bulgaria)
- Dziadek, Dziadzi, Dziadziu, Jaja (paternal formal Polish)
- Dziadzio (paternal informal Polish
- Dzied (paternal Belarusen)
E
- Edudi, Agiduda (paternal Cherokee)
F
- Farfar (paternal grandfather Swedish, Danish)
G
- G-pa
- GaGa
- Gampy
- Garrimaay (maternal Grandfather Aborigine Australian Formal)
- Gedo
- Geta
- Gido
- Gigi (informal Ukranian)
- Gimmpy
- GongGong (maternal Grandfather Cantonese)
- Grampie, Grampy
- Grampo
- Gramps
- Grampy
- Grand Duke
- Grand-papa (semi-formal France)
- Grand-pere (paternal formal France)
- Grandaddy
- Granddad
- Grandpa
- Grandpop
- Grandy
- Grapa
- Grootvader, Opa (Dutch)
- Grosspapi (Swiss)
- Grossvader (Formal German)
- Grossvader (Formal German)
- Grumpa
- Grumps
- GumGum
- Gumpy
- Guy
H
- Hajurbua – shorten to Bua (Nepal)
- Halabeoji (Korean)
- Hot Shot
J
- Jadd (paternal formal Arabic)
- Jid (Lebanese)
- Jidu (Syrian)
K
- Kupuna Kane (paternal Formal Hawaiian)
L
- Lolo (Tagalog Philippines)
- Laos (Hmong)
M
- Maataamaha (maternal Grandfather Sanskrit)
- Maili (paternal formal Australian aboriginal)
- Metzhayr, Papik (Armenian)
- Mishomis (paternal Ojibway)
- Mmakhulu (paternal African Venda dialect)
- Morfar (maternal Grandfather Danish, Norwegian, Swedish)
N
- Nagyapa (formal Hungarian)
- Nali (paternal Grandfather Navajo)
- Nana / Nanajaan (paternal Grandfather Urdu)
- Nani/ Nanijaan / Nani-Amma (maternal Grandfather Urdu)
- Nannu (Maltese)
- Nanu (maternal Grandfather Bengali India)
- Nonno (Italian)
- Ntatemogolo (Botswanan Africa)
O
- Ojiisan, Sofu (formal Japanese)
- Ong (formal Vietnamese)
- Ong Noi (informal Vietnamese)
- Opa (informal German)
- Oppy
- Oupa (Afrikaans)
P
- Pa
- Paca
- Pacaw
- Pampa
- Panka
- Pankar
- Pake
- Papa
- Papa Bear
- Papi
- Papie
- Papik (Armenian)
- Papo
- Papoo
- Pappoús (Greek)
- Pater
- PawPaw (Cajun)
- Pe-Pa
- Pedaer Bozorg (Farsi)
- Pepe (French Canadian)
- Pépère (informal French)
- Petulu (Indonesian)
- Pitaamaha (Sanskrit)
- Pocky
- Poopaw
- Pop-Op
- Popaw
- Popeye
- Poppa
- Poppie
- Pop-Pop
- Poppy
- Pops
- Popsie
- Pots
S
- Saba (Hebrew)
- Seanathair (formal Irish/Gaelic)
- Seedo (informal Arabic)
- Sekuru (Shona dialect)
- Senelis (Lithuanian)
- Shi’choo (Cheyenne)
- Simba
- Sofu (informal Japanese)
T
- Tad-cu, Taid (northern Welsh)
- Tad-Kozh (Breton)
- Taidie (southern Welsh)
- Tamazight (African Berber dialect)
- TanTan
- Tata (informal Hungarian)
- Thatha (Tamil)
- Tipuna Tane (polynesian Maori dialect)
- Topa
- Tutu
- Tutu Kane (informal Hawaiian)
U
- Ubabamkhulu (African Zulu dialect)
- Utat’omkhulu (African Xhosa dialect)
V
- Vaari (Finnish)
- Vanaisa (Estonian)
- Vectevs (Latvian)
- Voovoo
W
- Waayamaa (paternal Grandfather Australian)
- Wài Gong (maternal Grandfather Mandarin)
- Weeta
Y
- Yeh Yeh (paternal Grandfather Cantonese)
- YeYe (paternal Grandfather Mandarin)
Z
- Zeidy, Zaide, Zeydeh, Zeyde, Zeide, Zede, Zayde (Yiddish)
Unique Ideas for Grandparent Names
- WOW – Mom upside down
- HoneyDeux – Grandmother was Honey mother was HoneyDeux
- Grandma Jeep, Grandma Honda – Grandmas of boys
- Grannie back on the farm
- Banana
- Lolly & Pop
- Annie & Bruce (not their actual names)
- Happy – couldn’t say Pappy
- Where’d he go – Grandpa likes to play hide & seek
- Grandpete
- Serious Sam the Garbage Man (his name isn’t Sam)
- Boy
- O’grammie (she’s Irish)
What are the grandparents called in your family?
Let me know in the comments!
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