Where would we be without our grandmothers? From tender-hearted to spirited, and everything in between, the grandmas in our lives—whether our own or our children’s—have shown us the true limitlessness of love. For this, they deserve a proper name of honor in our families, one that’s at once endearing, reflective of our culture, and easy for little ones to say.
For inspiration, we asked The Everymom readers to share the names their kids have bestowed upon their family’s beloved matriarchs. Below are their responses—nicknames full of heart, history, and a dash of humor—that they’ve given to their grandmas. Read on for 20 sweet nicknames for grandmas to consider for your family, too.
20 Cute and Creative Grandma Nickname Ideas
1. Nana
Children across English-speaking countries often refer to their grandmothers as nana. Short and sweet, the repeat syllables are easy on little ones just learning to speak.
2. Lita
Many readers shared that their mothers and grandmothers go by lita, an adorable short-form of abuelita, the less-formal Spanish word for grandmother.
3. Gma
For beginning talkers, grandma can be quite a mouthful. Lucky for them, this funny, little nickname makes a perfectly simple substitute.
Source: Juan Pablo | Pexels
4. Baachan
Our readers of Japanese heritage shared that the grandchildren in their families use the sweet baachan to honor grandmothers.
5. Babcia
In Polish families, grandmothers around the world often take the name of baba or babcia.
6. Oma
For readers with German ties, the tender-sounding oma is a popular stand-in for grandma.
7. Maemae
For French flair, the charming maemae leads the pack in stylish nicknames for grandmother.
8. Pó Po
For Chinese families who speak Cantonese, there’s a dedicated name for each grandmother. pó po is meant to distinguish each family’s maternal grandmother.
9. Gran
Gran gives off distinctively British vibes, though anyone the world-over can claim this cute-as-can-be name for grandma. Here, we’ll also lump in all the similar variations: granny, gram, grammy, and grams, as well.
10. Aachi
In the Tamil language, spoken in India, Singapore, and Sri Lanka, families use aachi as an endearing term for grandmothers.
11. Grandmama
Readers may be familiar with the stately grandmama, used most often across the southern U.S.
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12. Mimi
A simple name with a repeated syllable, this nickname rolls off even the smallest of tongues.
13. Nonnie
Readers shared that their little ones use the name nonnie in their families, which may be a play on the Italian nonna.
14. Bà Nội
Our Vietnamese readers chimed in to share bà nội as a name for their family’s paternal grandmother. Bà ngoại is used widely to refer to maternal grandmothers.
15. G
When only the simplest name will do, G makes the perfect substitute for grandmother. Though finding an equally easy name for grandpa might be a tall order.
16. Safta
Jewish readers shared this sweet-sounding name for grandmothers which, according to Kveller, is a good pick for a young-at-heart grandma. A common variation on the name is savta.
Source: Michael Morse | Pexels
17. Nan
A grandmother swap-in with roots in England, nan is adorable on its own—or as an accompaniment to nana.
18. Gigi
Often used to shorten great-grandmother for beginning speakers, this charming nickname makes for a chic alternative to grandma, too.
19. Aba
Another short form of the Spanish abuelita or abuela, aba is a cute name that little ones can easily pronounce.
20. YaYa
For Greek families, yaya or yiayia is a common nickname for grandmothers.
