Grandma Names and Nicknames: An A to Z Guide

Choosing what to call a grandmother can be part of the fun of welcoming a baby. Grandma and Nana may already be family favorites, but your mom or mother-in-law might have another name in mind.

Below, you’ll find grandma names and nicknames organized by first letter, followed by names used in other languages. If she’s still deciding what she wants to be called, share a few favorites with her.

Grandma Names A to Z

Spelling variations are grouped together, and some suggestions include a matching grandpa name.

Grandma Names That Start With A

1. Abba

2. Amma

Grandma Names That Start With B

3. Babe

4. Bamba or Bama

5. BeBe

6. Bella or Belle

7. Big Grandma

8. Big Mom or Big Momma

9. Birdy or Birdie

10. Bomma

11. Bunny

Grandma Names That Start With C

12. CeeCee or Cici

13. Chacha

14. Coco

15. Cookie

Grandma Names That Start With D

16. Darling

Grandma Names That Start With F

17. Foxy

Grandma Names That Start With G

18. G

19. Gabby or Gabbi

20. Gadgy or Gadgi

21. Gaga

22. Gaggy

23. GamGam

24. Gamma or Gams

25. Gammy or Gammie

26. G-bomb

27. Gigi or GG

28. Gimmy (Like Kimmy, but with a G.)

29. Glamma or Glammy

30. G-Ma or G-Mom (also spelled Gma, Geema or Geemom)

31. GoGo or Gogi

32. Goma

33. Gram or Grams

34. Gramma

35. Grammers (goes with Grampers)

36. Grammy or Grammie

37. Gran or Gran-Gran

38. Grancy or Grancie

39. Grandma or Grandmaw

40. Grandmama

41. Grandmom or Grand mom

42. Grandmother

43. Grannie or Granny

Grandma Names That Start With H

44. Honey (and can go with “Bear” for a grandpa name!)

Grandma Names That Start With J

45. Jaja

Grandma Names That Start With K

46. Kitty

Grandma Names That Start With L

47. LaLa

48. Lollie or Lolly (pairs with Pop for “Lolly Pop!”)

49. Lovey

Grandma Names That Start With M

50. Ma or Maw

51. Madam

52. Mambo

53. Mammy (and can go with Pappy)

54. Marmee or Marmi or Marmie

55. MawMaw or Maw Maw

56. MayMay

57. Meemaw, Meema, Memaw, MeeMaw, or Mimaw (can pair with Peepaw or Papaw)

58. Mema, MeMa, or Mima

59. Meme or Mémé (can pair with Pépé)

60. Memere

61. Mia

62. Mimi

63. Mims or Mimsy

64. Minny or Minnie

65. Mom-Mom

66. Momo

67. Momoo

68. Momsie

Grandma Names That Start With N

69. Nana

70. Nani

71. Nanny (and can go with Poppy)

72. Naunie

73. Neena or Nina

74. Nene (and can go with Papi)

75. Nonna

76. Nonnie

Grandma Names That Start With P

77. Pippa

78. Pippy

Grandma Names That Start With Q

79. Queenie

Grandma Names That Start With S

80. Sassy

81. Sugar or Suga’

82. Sweetie

Grandma Names That Start With T

83. Teenie or Teeny

84. Tootsie

85. Two-Mama (like a second mama)

Grandma Names That Start With Y

86. Yaya

Grandma Names That Start With Z

87. Zsa-Zsa

Grandma Names in Other Languages

Some languages have different names for a mother’s mother and a father’s mother. Where that distinction applies, the list identifies maternal and paternal grandmothers.

Names for Grandma in African Languages

• Shona: Ambuya
• Swahili: Bibi
• Venda: Makhulu (a grandparent of either gender)
• Xhosa: Umakhulu
• Zulu: Ugogo

Afrikaans

• Ouma

Albanian

• Gjyshe

Names for Grandma in Indigenous North American Languages

• Cherokee: Elisi (used when addressing a grandmother)
• Cheyenne: Néške’e (used when addressing a grandmother)
• Iñupiaq: Aanaga (my grandmother in some regional varieties)
• Navajo (maternal): Shimásání (my maternal grandmother)
• Navajo (paternal): Shinálí (my paternal grandparent, used for a grandmother or grandfather)
• Ojibwe: Nookmis, Nookomis (my grandmother; forms vary by dialect)

Arabic

• Standard Arabic: Jaddah
• Colloquial Arabic: Teta

Armenian

• Tatik

Basque

• Amona

Belarusian

• Babka

Breton

• Mamm-gozh

Catalan

• Àvia, Iaia

Chinese

• Mandarin (paternal): Nainai, Zǔmǔ
• Mandarin (maternal): Wàipó
• Cantonese (maternal): PoPo

Croatian

• Baka

Danish

• Bedstemor
• Paternal: Farmor
• Maternal: Mormor

Dutch

• Grootmoeder
• Grootmama

Esperanto

• Avino

Estonian

• Vanaema

Farsi

• Madar Bozorg

Cebuano

• Apohang babaye
• Lola

Finnish

• Isoäiti
• Mummo

Belgian Dutch (Flemish)

• Bomma

French

• Grand-mère
• Mémé
• Grand-maman

Galician

• Avoa

Georgian

• Bebia

German

• Großmutter
• Oma

Greek

• Yaya
• Giagiá

Paraguayan Guarani

• Jarýi

Hawaiian

• Kupuna wahine
• Tūtū (a grandparent of either gender)
• Kūkū (a grandparent of either gender)

Hebrew

• Savta
• Safta

Hungarian

• Nagyanya

Icelandic

• Amma

Names for Grandma in South Asian Languages

• Bengali (paternal): Thakur-ma
• Bengali (maternal): Dida, Didima
• Hindi (paternal): Daadima
• Urdu (paternal): Daadi
• Urdu (maternal): Naani

Indonesian

• Nenek

Irish

• Seanmháthair

Italian

• Nonna

Japanese

• Obaasan
• Obaachan (an affectionate form)
• Sobo (used when referring to one’s own grandmother)

Korean

• Halmeoni (also romanized Halmoni)

Latvian

• Vecāmāte

Lebanese Arabic

• Sitti (my grandmother)

Lithuanian

• Senelė, Močiutė

Malagasy

• Nenibe

Maltese

• Nanna

Māori

• Kuia
• Tipuna wahine

Norwegian

• Bestemor
• Godmor (regional)
• Paternal: Farmor
• Maternal: Mormor

Polish

• Babcia

Portuguese

• Avó
• Vovó

Romanian

• Bunică

Russian

• Babushka

Sanskrit

• Paternal: Pitaamahii
• Maternal: Maataamahii

Serbian

• Baba

Slovak

• Babička

Slovenian

• Stara Mama

Somali

• Ayeeyo

Spanish

• Abuela
• Abuelita

Swedish

• Farmor: Paternal grandmother
• Mormor: Maternal grandmother

Swiss German

• Grossmami

Syrian Arabic

• Teta

Tamil

• Paatti (பாட்டி)

Thai

• Paternal: Ya
• Maternal: Yai

Turkish

• Büyükanne: Grandmother
• Anneanne: Maternal grandmother
• Babaanne: Paternal grandmother

Turkmen

• Paternal: Ene

Ukrainian

• Babusia
• Baba

Uzbek

• Bibi (regional)

Vietnamese

• Bà

Welsh

• Southern: Mamgu
• Northern: Nain

Yiddish

• Bubby
• Bubbe

How to Choose a Grandma Name

Start by asking the grandmother-to-be what she would enjoy being called. If more than one grandmother likes the same name, adding a first name or initial can help distinguish them.

Another option is to combine “Grand” with her first name, such as Grand Martha.

We hope this list has given you some fun ideas to share with your family. Does your family use a grandma name we haven’t included? We would love to hear it.

Still picking a name for Grandpa? Explore our list of grandpa names for more ideas.