LIFE

The Comprehensive Guide To Names For Grandparents

4 min read

Sometimes, names are not just given to babies. Some parents also want to be given their own names when they become grandparents.

Commonly, grandparents are called “Grandpa or Grandma” or “Grammy”, but there are grandparents who prefer to be called by their first names. However, others want cute names for them.

So, we’ve compiled some of the cutest names we could find that are just perfect for your kids to call their grandparents!

For your lovely grandmother…

A

  • Aggie
  • Ama
  • ama sani
  • Amatchi
  • Ammaw
  • Anneanne (maternal Turkish)
  • Anyu
  • Audie

B

  • Ba (maternal Vietnamese)
  • Babicka, Babi (maternal Slovakian)
  • Babs
  • Babushka, Busha, Buka, Baboo (maternal Russian)
  • Bammer
  • BB, BeBe
  • Bebia (maternal Georgian)
  • Bedstemoder (maternal Formal Danish)
  • Beybey
  • Big Meme
  • Bo
  • Bumba
  • Bunny

C

  • CeCe, ChiChi
  • ChooChoo
  • Cookie
  • Cuppa

D

  • Da
  • Daadi (paternal Grandmother Urdu India)
  • Daadima (maternal Hindi India)
  • Dandy
  • Deeda
  • DeeDee, DiDi
  • Deedle
  • 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
  • Gima
  • Ging
  • Glama
  • Godmor, Bestemor (Norwegian)
  • Goobie
  • Goona
  • GraGra
  • Grammie, Grammy
  • Grandma
  • Grandma Nana
  • Grandmama
  • Grandmommy
  • Grandy
  • GranGran
  • Granni
  • Granna (combination of Grandma and Nana)
  • Gummy

H

  • Hajurmua – shortens to Mua  (Nepal)
  • Halmoni (maternal Korean)
  • Hammaw
  • 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)
  • Lovely

M

  • Ma-Gar
  • Ma-maw
  • Ma’saani (maternal American Indian Navajo)
  • Maataamahii (maternal Grandmother Sanskrit)
  • Madar Bozorg (maternal Farsi)
  • MaeMae, Mah-meh
  • Mamaay (paternal Aborigine Australian)
  • Mamae
  • Maman
  • Mamar
  • Mami, Mamie
  • Mamm-Baour (Breton NW France)
  • Mamo, Mamoo
  • Mater
  • Meema
  • Mimi
  • Mimz
  • Momsie
  • MooMaw, MooMoo
  • MumMum
  • Munga
  • Mutti

N

  • Nagyanya (Formal Hungarian)
  • Nahnee
  • Naini, Nain (maternal Northern Welsh
  • Nami, Nan, Nani
  • Nana, Nanna
  • Nanni (maternal Grandmother Urdu India) Nannie, Nanny
  • Ngin (paternal Grandmother Cantonese)
  • Nina
  • Nini
  • Ninny

O

  • Oba-Chan (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

  • Sasha
  • Sassy
  • Seanmhair (maternal Formal – Irish/Gaelic)
  • Sitti (Lebanese)
  • Sobo (maternal Formal Japan)
  • Sugar

T

  • Tata
  • Tatik (maternal Armenian)
  • Teta (informal Arabic & Syrian)
  • 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)
  • Yanya, Anya (Informal Hungarian)
  • Yaya, Gigia (maternal Greek)

Z

  • Zeidy
  • Zsa-Zsa, Busha, Gigi, Jaja (informal Polish)
  • Zumu (paternal Grandmother Mandarin)

For your amazing grandfather…

A

  • Aba (paternal Guarani, South America)
  • Abuelito, Tito, Lito (paternal informal diminutive Spanish)
  • Afi (paternal Icelandic)
  • Agiduda, E-du-di (paternal Cherokee)
  • Ampa
  • Apohang lalaki (paternal, formal Filipino)
  • Avô (paternal Esperanto, Galician, Portuguese)

B

  • Baba (Turkmen)
  • Babu (Georgian & paternal Swahili)
  • Bamper
  • Bedstefader (paternal formal Danish)
  • BeeBop
  • Bestefar (Norwegian)
  • Big Bear
  • Big D
  • Big Papa
  • Bonpahttp, Bonpa  (Flemish)
  • Boochie
  • Boom-pa
  • Boss
  • Boy
  • Bumpa
  • Bumpie
  • Bungie
  • Bunky

C

  • Chei (maternal Grandfather Navajo)
  • Commander in Chief
  • Cuppa

D

  • Da
  • Dad
  • Ded (Slovenian)
  • Dido
  • Duke
  • Dumper
  • Dzied (paternal Belarusen)

E

  • Edudi, Agiduda (paternal Cherokee)

F

  • Farfar (paternal grandfather Swedish, Danish)

G

  • G-pa
  • Gampy
  • Garrimaay (maternal Grandfather Aborigine Australian Formal)
  • Gedo
  • Geta
  • Gimmpy
  • GongGong (maternal Grandfather Cantonese)
  • Grampie, Grampy
  • Grampo
  • Grampy
  • Grand-papa (semi-formal France)
  • Grandaddy
  • Grandpa
  • Grandpop
  • Grandy
  • Grossvader (Formal German)
  • Grumpa
  • GumGum
  • 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)

M

  • Maataamaha (maternal Grandfather Sanskrit)
  • Maili (paternal formal Australian aboriginal)
  • Metzhayr, Papik (Armenian)
  • Morfar (maternal Grandfather Danish, Norwegian, Swedish)

N

  • Nagyapa (formal Hungarian)
  • Nali (paternal Grandfather Navajo)
  • Nannu (Maltese)
  • 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
  • Papa
  • Papa Bear
  • Papi
  • Papoo
  • Pappous (Greek)
  • PawPaw
  • Poopaw
  • Popeye
  • PopPop
  • Poppy
  • Pops
  • Popsie

S

  • Seanathair (formal Irish/Gaelic)
  • Senelis (Lithuanian)
  • Simba
  • Sofu (informal Japanese)

T

  • Tad-cu, Taid (northern Welsh)
  • Tamazight (African Berber dialect)
  • TanTan
  • 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

  • Zaide, Zeydeh, Zeyde, Zeide, Zede (Yiddish)

Which name would you want to call your grandparents?

The Comprehensive Guide To Names For Grandparents

Avatar photo
About Author

Cherie Bobbins

Cherie Bobbins creates an authentic account of motherhood from the front-lines with a central theme of empowering other mothers through Cherie's first...Read More hand experiences. Her aim for every piece of content created is to serve someone, sparking them to exclaim, "OMG, Cherie Bobbins totally gets me, it's exactly what I needed and I am not alone!" Residing in Melbourne, experiencing four seasons in one day, Cherie has had an overflowing, clean basket of laundry on rotation since January 2015. Cherie is a life hacker, professional laundry dodger and mother of two. Read Less

Ask a Question

Close sidebar