This isn’t exactly a craft post, but it is very important information especially if you are a soon to be grandmother! Or pregnant, and have a crazy mom who can not decide on a Grandma name. My mom was and still is very concerned about what she will be called by Maxwell, her first grand baby. After lots of research, I put together a list of 61 Grandma names so my mom had a plethora of options, ha!
UPDATE: My kids are now 2 and 4 years old and they call my mom, Nana. This was her 4th choice, haha! G, Momsie, and Bubbie were her first 3 choices, but they didn’t last. I’m sorry to say future grandparent reading this list, but those adorable little grandchildren of yours are going to help you make that grandma name decision real quick!
63 Nicknames for Grandma
I asked the ever pressing question on C.R.A.F.T. Facebook: “What do you and your kids call your grandparents?” I got a ton of fun responses so I decided to make a big ol’ list of cool grandmother names. (See the original facebook thread with lots of commentary here.)
17 Other Names for Grandma
1. Grandmother
2. Granny
3. Grand (and her name) – For example, Grand Martha (This is my paternal grandma’s name!)
4. Gramma
5. Grammy or Grammie
6. Gram
7. Grand mom
8. Gran
9. Gigi
10. G-bomb
11. Gaggy
12. G
13. G-ma
14. Grammers
15. Grandma + First letter of name
16. Big Grandma
17. Little Grandma
International Grandma Names
Grandmas are loved around the world! What do they call Grandma in other countries? My husbands family is Polish and all of his cousins call his Grandma Busha.
18. Busha, Busia, Babushka, Babcia – Polish
19. NaiNai – Chinese
20. Yamma – Icelandic
21. Bomma – Flemmish
22. Yaya – Greek
23. Nonna – Italian
24. Abuela – Spanish
25. Bubbe – Yiddish and Hebrew
26. Lola – Filipino
27. Oma – German
28. Grand Mere – French
Grandmother names that start with M
29. Marmie
30. Maw Maw or Mawmaw
31. Meema or Memaw or Meemaw
32. Mimi
33. Mims
34. Momo
35. Momoo
36. Mom mom
37. Momsie
38. Memere
Grandma names that start with N
39. Naunie
40. Nana
41. Nanny
42. Nani
43. Nonna
44. Neena
45. Nonnie
Cute Names for Grandma
46. Bella
47. Birdie
48. Bunny
49. Cookie
50. Foxy
51. Gaga
52. Graham Cracker
53. Glamma
54. Glam Ma
55. Honey
56. Lolly (and of course Grandpa would be Pop!)
57. Lovey
58. Mambo
59. Minnie
60. Queenie
61. Tootsie
62. Yaya
63. Gimmy (Like Kimmy, but with a G.)
I did another questioner on facebook, and here are tons more different names for Grandma. What do you call your Grandma and Grandpa? Or if you are a Grandma or Grandpa, what do you want to be called? I’d love to hear your Grandma names!
If you’re a new Grandma, here are some crafts to do with littles:
Comments & Reviews
My mom is becoming a grandma soon and we are thing mamma oldie.
I am Nannie. I thiught about Fried Green tomatoes Ninnie Threadgood, but had second thoughts about being called a ninnie. Lol
I’m so glad I’m not the only one to struggle with deciding on the right grandmother name. My first grandchild is officially 2 months old and I still don’t know what name to pick. A girl at work teases me, by calling me, “granny” but, that’s a definite no for me. My son has a step daughter and when she came into our lives, she was very young and her mom had her call me, “Miss” with my name attached, kinda like a teacher. I’m thinking if I don’t hurry and pick a name, by her hearing me called that, I’ll be called that by the newest grand baby. I’ve picked names but then I get plenty of negative responses for reasons I understand. How do you really know the right name? Course as the saying goes, I don’t care what she calls me, as long as she calls me! I didn’t want an old sounding grandmother name either, I just haven’t identified with any cutesy names either. Help!
I’m having the same struggle. My first granddaughter is due in August. She already had a Grammy, Nanny, and Grandma. And I wanted something different from those older type names. After much searching, I finally decided on Meema!
I am a first time grandmother, I too choose to be called Meema
Ju ju!
I’m called Lita short for abuelita.
Help I too am a first-time grandmother my family thinks im crazy to not want to be called grandma I don’t mind it if that’s what my granddaughter calls me I would just like a name that’s not so old fashioned my name is Virginia there is nothing that goes with that please help me I would love suggestions thanks you
Take the “gi” from the middle of Virginia and double it to get “Gigi”
How about GranV….Gran with your initial
I would like a Grandma name that starts with S after my first name. Any suggestions? My son-in-law is Irish so I was thinking something Gaelic, but want something fairly short. My husband is going to be Big-Papa. Help!
If your husband is big papa you can be big mama
I heard of a little girl who refused to call ger grandmother grandma. Apparently the grandpa had always called his wife “sugar” and the banr stuck! I also like G-daddy.
I’ll be a Grandmother for the first time in a few weeks. I’m really struggling with being called, “Grandma.” My Grandson will have a lot of Grandparents, even his Great-Grandparents are still living. We already have Nanoo, Mumoo, Nana, NeeNee, Papaw, Papa, Grandma and Grandpa. My husband and I are thinking about Nan and Pops, but my husband keeps calling me, “MeMaw.” LOL Whatever that baby calls me will be fine with me.
Love this conversation. Our first grandchild is due any day. My husband picked Big Pappy! lol but I’m having a harder time.picking my name. I’m thinking of Posey. Posey and Pappy sounds fun I think. But I’m still unsure. I love all the suggestions and ideas. My middle name is May and May May is cute too. Love Lollie and Mimi and Gran. Ultimately I know it will be whatever the babe chooses to call me but It’s been fun thinking about names. Thanks for the conversation starter!
My brothers called me Lolly growing up because they couldn’t say Janalee. I’m thinking I want Lolli for me & Pops for my husband. Lolli Pops!!
Hi, I’m gonna be a May-May! That’s the name I chose for my first time being a GRANDMA! Im 39 and wanted something that didn’t sounds so old fashioned. My name is Mandy so hopefully it works out… and I can’t WAIT! ❤️
Any suggestions for a “K” name?
Kookie/ cookie with a K
My mom wanted my kids to call her Nannie. However, my oldest daughter (the 1st grand baby) had different plans. She started calling her TT (pronounced tee-tee) and it stuck. My mom actually tried really hard to teach my daughter to call her Nannie. She learned to pronounce Nanna (MIL) and Na-Na (my grandma) perfectly but everytime she was asked to say Nannie, she said TT. My mom eventually gave up trying. Now all 5 of her grandkids call her TT. My dad goes by Poppy. So they are TT and Poppy.
I’m from a large multi blended family. We had grammas and grampas, tatusch and babcha and gram and when our kids came along the great grands became gg when there was one and ggma and ggpa when 2. When those kids started having babies my mom became 2g because gg was already in play. My many sibs are plundering their various ethnicities for their grand appelations. Babcha, babushka , aubuela,char char, and mom a are currently being used with some new ones kids and names on their way. Great site thanks.
My boys called their Paternal Grandfather ‘Boompa’ from an old Jimmy Stewart movie. It started out as a joke, but then it just stuck.
I am having trouble picking a name and my grandbaby is already 15 months old lol. I have to pick something quickly because my daughter and son in law are always asking my granddaughter who is that lady and does lady have a name yet and they refer to me as lady? Well she has started saying lady randomly but I don’t think she totally associates it with me. If I don’t want to get stuck with “lady” I have to decide although I have heard it so much I am kind of use to it lol. I would have probably picked grandma and use grams for short but both my daughter’s in laws already have grandkids and use that. It is too confusing having more than one grandma or grams and then you get stuck with an extra name added to it and I don’t want to be grandma so and so. My husband goes by pops so I was thinking Lollie.
Hi! I think Lollie and Pops is adorable! xo Jamie
What an inspiring and long ongoing conversation! I love all the unique and fun(ny) names. Maybe we’ll just wait for our first grandchild to name us but I was thinking MamaLona and PapaJay which are easy for a little one to pronounce. All the traditional names have already been taken since we are a rather large family with grand- and great-grand parents. Congratulations to all of you new grandparents!
Cute conversation, I think I would like to be called Lovey or Lollie by my future beloved Grandchildren. My Husband likes Pop.
I appreciate each gchild making a name. However, I might try to steer it towards something that grows well w older grids.
Since our last name is Hispanic , I’m thinking Aba and Abo ( abuela/o). Plus I adore the long retired pop group ABBA and plan to spend lots of good time around good, old, music.
Love this! “Dancing Queen” is our family anthem.
My paternal gparents are Onny and Oppy, the maternal are Grana and Grumpa (sometimes granda, if we’re feeling particularly nice). My brother had a speech impediment when he was younger so they got odd-ish names
I Don’t know what I will be called but I think maybe Double D or DeeDee would be cute.
My silly husband wants us to be “Mammory & Papsmear” THAT is NOT gonna happen!!!
Haha! That is hilarious! In all of my Grand parent name research, I never saw that one. Congrats to your husband for his cleverness 😉
When my girls were young it was grandma black kitty or grandma Sophie (their dog) because both sets were nana and papa. To confusing. I’m going to be a first time grandma and am excited to find out my GMA name but I will wait and see what comes naturally to my grandbaby because anything is ok with me.
Stumbled upon this post & so happy I did. Love all the unique names.
We called my Grandmother YOYO …. my sister TRYING to say Grandma…. out came YOYO lol & it stuck.
My grandmother loved it.& lovingly signed all her cards Love, Grandma (YOYO)
My son and daughter in law are having their first child , our first grandchild:) I’m Italian, so I’m looking for a name for my husband and I. Something unique:)
I’ve enjoyed reading this and seeing all the names you all have chosen !
Gigi and G-daddy?
My daughter is expecting our first grandchild in May. My husband will be Pops/Big Poppy. I’d like to be Nonnie, as my nickname growing up was Narnie, and there’s only my Dad left to call me that. Our daughter doesn’t like it, and that’s disheartening. I’m hoping it will grow on her, as I think Nonnie and Poppy go well together.
I saw someone else talk about using ‘Puddy’. I am a new grandmother and in looking for a name I saw it on a list. I was called Puddy as a child and some relatives still do. That made it easy for me, just hope it sticks.
I am the proud grandmother of 5. My 4 grand babies lived 800 miles away so they didn’t know me very well. When my step daughter came into my life, I didn’t want to push myself on her or her son so I left it to him to call me what he wanted. After our third visit he ran in one day and called me hunny. Since then my son and his family moved back home and the name has stuck. Not what I would have chosen for myself, but my heart skips a beat when I hear those sweet voices say it.
my name is Tamela (Tammy) and I too wanted to have something that distinguishes me from the other grandma and decided on
G ma Tam…sounds a bit french…lol
I have a beautiful grandson. I’m called LaLa sometimes Lolli. I love them both.
My children call my mother Mimi, which is the name we called our grandmother and my son calls his father’s mother, GM.
My grands call me nene and I love it but their is never nothing that has that saying on it