Grandma Names
Becoming a grandmother comes with a brand-new name — and more women than ever are choosing it themselves instead of waiting to see what the first grandchild manages to say. Some want the warm tradition of Grandma or Nana; others want something that feels younger and more personal, like Gigi, Lolly or Birdie; and many families honor their heritage with Oma, Abuela, Nonna or Lola.
Here are over 100 grandma names with their origins, sorted into classic American picks, trendy modern nicknames, names from other languages, glamorous and playful options, and names inspired by nature. Grandpa needs a name too — see our nicknames for grandparents. And if you’re looking for old-fashioned given names instead, try old lady names or vintage girl names.
Classic grandma names
The tried-and-true names generations of American kids have used. They’re instantly understood by teachers, doctors and other grandparents.
| Name | Where it comes from | Vibe |
|---|---|---|
| Grandma | Short for grandmother | The universal standard |
| Grandmother | The formal title | Dignified, old-school |
| Granny | Affectionate diminutive of grandmother | Cozy and folksy |
| Grandmom | Common in the Mid-Atlantic | Warm and familiar |
| Gran | British and American short form | Crisp and classic |
| Grammy | Blend of grandma and mommy | Sweet and cheerful |
| Grams | Casual short form | Laid-back |
| Gramma | Toddler-friendly spelling | Soft and simple |
| Nana | Toddler’s version of grandma; also “nanna” | The most popular alternative |
| Nanny | British and Southern nickname | Traditional |
| Nan | British short form | Brisk and friendly |
| Grandmama | Old-fashioned, formal-affectionate | Victorian charm |
| Granmama | Southern variation | Gracious |
| Gram | Shortest form | Understated |
| Grandy | Affectionate short form | Uncommon classic |
Modern and trendy grandma names
For grandmothers who feel far too young for “Granny”. These nicknames are short, bright and fun to say.
| Name | Origin | Vibe |
|---|---|---|
| Gigi | From “G.G.” (Grandma G…) or a name like Georgina | Chic and youthful |
| Mimi | Nickname from Miriam, Mary or simply “me-me” | Playful classic |
| Lolly | Sweet treat; nickname for Laura or Lorraine | Sugary and fun |
| Birdie | Little bird | Sweet and lighthearted |
| Lovey | Term of endearment | Warm and doting |
| Honey | Classic endearment | Southern sweetness |
| Nonnie | Anglicized nickname from Nonna | Cuddly |
| Mema | Toddler’s “me-ma” | Soft and homey |
| Didi | Nickname for any D name | Bouncy |
| Coco | Nickname with a chic, French air | Glamorous |
| Lala | Baby-talk nickname | Musical |
| Bibi | Grandmother in Swahili; also a nickname | Cheerful |
| Kiki | Playful double syllable | Energetic |
| GaGa | Baby-talk version of grandma | Fun and pop-culture friendly |
| Mimsy | Whimsical form of Mimi | Storybook |
| Marmee | The mother’s nickname in Little Women | Literary and warm |
| G-Ma | Initial-style short form | Sporty and casual |
| Queenie | Little queen | Regal fun |
| Sissy | Nickname for a youthful grandmother | Spunky |
| Glammy | Glamorous + grammy | Stylish |
| Glamma | Glamorous + grandma | Fashion-forward |
| Yaya | Sounds like Greek “yiayia” | Joyful |
Southern grandma names
Down South, grandmothers are often called by these distinctive regional names. More Southern charm in Southern girl names.
| Name | Origin | Where you’ll hear it |
|---|---|---|
| Mamaw | Southern form of “grandma” | Appalachia, Texas and the Deep South |
| Memaw | Variant of Mamaw | Throughout the South |
| Mawmaw | Drawled spelling | Louisiana, Mississippi |
| Big Mama | Head of the family | African American Southern tradition |
| Mama Sue | “Mama” plus her first name | The whole South |
| Granny Mae | Granny plus her name | Rural areas |
| Maw | Short for Mawmaw | Appalachia |
| Madear | From “Mother dear” | African American Southern tradition |
| Muddear | Variant of Madear | Deep South |
| Grandmamma | Formal Southern address | Old Southern families |
Grandma names from around the world
Honoring your heritage is one of the most meaningful ways to choose a grandma name. See also our names by country.
| Name | Language | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Abuela | Spanish | Diminutives: Abuelita, Buela, Lita |
| Abuelita | Spanish | Affectionate “little grandma” |
| Lita | Spanish | Short for Abuelita |
| Oma | German and Dutch | Short, sweet and widely known |
| Omi | German | Cuter diminutive of Oma |
| Nonna | Italian | Beloved Italian-American classic |
| Nonnina | Italian | Tender “little nonna” |
| Mémé | French | Informal and affectionate |
| Mamie | French | Common French word for grandma |
| Grand-mère | French | Formal French |
| Yiayia | Greek (γιαγιά) | Pronounced YAH-yah |
| Babcia | Polish | Pronounced BAHB-chah |
| Baba | Russian, Ukrainian, Serbian and others | From babushka |
| Babushka | Russian | Also the headscarf |
| Bubbe | Yiddish | Also spelled Bubbie; pronounced BUB-ee |
| Savta | Hebrew | Modern Israeli word for grandma |
| Lola | Tagalog (Filipino) | Also used for grandpa’s partner, Lolo |
| Halmeoni | Korean (할머니) | Often shortened to Halmi |
| Obaachan | Japanese | Obaa-chan; Baachan for short |
| Nai Nai | Mandarin (paternal grandmother) | 奶奶 |
| Lao Lao | Mandarin (maternal grandmother) | 姥姥 |
| Nani | Hindi / Urdu (maternal grandmother) | Paternal is Dadi |
| Dadi | Hindi / Urdu (paternal grandmother) | Pronounced DAH-dee |
| Tutu | Hawaiian | Warm island tradition |
| Mormor | Swedish, Danish, Norwegian (mother’s mother) | Literally “mother-mother” |
| Farmor | Swedish, Danish, Norwegian (father’s mother) | Literally “father-mother” |
| Mamó | Irish | Also Móraí |
| Nain | Welsh | Pronounced “nine” |
| Avó | Portuguese | Pronounced ah-VAW |
| Vovó | Brazilian Portuguese | Affectionate form |
| Babaanne | Turkish (father’s mother) | Literally “father-mother” |
| Anneanne | Turkish (mother’s mother) | Literally “mother-mother” |
| Teta | Arabic (Levantine) | Everyday word in Lebanon and Syria |
| Sitti | Arabic | “My lady”; common in Palestine and Lebanon |
| Bunica | Romanian | Pronounced boo-NEE-kah |
| Nagymama | Hungarian | Often shortened to Nagyi |
| Babička | Czech | Babi for short |
| Ammamma | Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam (mother’s mother) | Literally “mother’s mother” |
| Bà | Vietnamese | Bà nội (paternal), bà ngoại (maternal) |
| Mummo | Finnish | Also Isoäiti (formal) |
| Ouma | Afrikaans | Pronounced OH-mah |
| Gogo | Zulu, Xhosa and other Southern African languages | Warm and respectful |
Nature-inspired and whimsical grandma names
A little whimsy goes a long way. These are especially popular with gardening, outdoorsy or artsy grandmothers.
| Name | Inspiration | Vibe |
|---|---|---|
| Sunny | Sunshine | Upbeat and bright |
| Poppy | The red poppy (also a grandpa name in the UK) | Garden-fresh |
| Daisy | The daisy | Sweet and simple |
| Rosie | The rose | Rosy-cheeked warmth |
| Wren | The songbird | Quiet charm |
| Dove | Bird of peace | Gentle and calm |
| Ladybug | The lucky beetle | Adorable for little kids |
| Sugar | Sweetness | Southern and doting |
| Peaches | The fruit | Playful Southern |
| Butter | Butter-soft sweetness | Silly and memorable |
| Cookie | Grandma’s baking | Kid-favorite |
| Bee | The honeybee | Short and busy |
How to choose your grandma name
- Decide before the baby arrives — or don’t. Many grandmothers pick a name early, but plenty of families let the first grandchild’s attempt stick. Some of the best names (Mimi, Lala, Gaga) started as baby talk.
- Avoid clashes with the other grandma. If one grandmother is already Nana, choose something clearly different so the kids — and everyone else — can tell you apart.
- Keep it easy to say. Toddlers find repeated syllables (Mimi, Gigi, Nana, Lala) and simple sounds easiest.
- Honor your roots. Oma, Nonna, Abuela, Lola or Bubbe keep a family language alive for the next generation.
- Coordinate with grandpa. Classic pairs include Nana and Papa, Gigi and Pop, Oma and Opa, Mimi and Pops. Browse nicknames for grandparents for matching sets.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular name for a grandma?
Grandma and Nana remain the most common in the US, followed by Grammy, Gigi, Mimi and Granny.
What do you call a young grandma?
Many younger grandmothers pick short, fun names like Gigi, Lolly, Coco, Glammy, Birdie or Lovey that feel less formal than Grandma.
What does Gigi stand for as a grandma name?
Gigi usually comes from “G.G.”, for “Grandma” plus the grandmother’s first initial, or from a name like Georgina or Virginia. Some families use it for a great-grandmother (“great-grandma”).
What do you call a great-grandmother?
Common choices are Great-Grandma, Gigi, G-Ma, Great-Nana or Big Nana, or adding her first name, as in Granny Rose.
What are unique grandma names?
Lolly, Birdie, Tutu, Mormor, Ladybug, Madear and Yiayia are unusual and full of personality.