Most grandmothers do not choose their own name. They pick one, announce it confidently, and then a toddler decides otherwise. What follows is a list of 89 options grouped by style, and a short note at the end on how the decision really goes.
Names appear in more than one group where they genuinely belong in both, so the 89 entries cover 85 distinct names.
The classics (15)
Still the most-used, and there is nothing wrong with that.
- Grandma
- Grandmother
- Granny
- Gran
- Nana
- Nanna
- Nan
- Grammy
- Grams
- Gramma
- Mamaw
- Memaw
- Meemaw
- Mawmaw
- Grandmama
Shorter and softer (14)
Easy for a toddler to say, which is usually what decides it.
- Mimi
- Gigi
- Coco
- Lolly
- Nonnie
- Bibi
- Kiki
- Dodo
- Bebe
- Nini
- Momo
- Gaga
- Nene
- Bubbe
Names from other languages (22)
Common in families who want to carry a heritage forward.
- Nonna (Italian)
- Abuela (Spanish)
- Abuelita (Spanish)
- Oma (German and Dutch)
- Grand-mère (French)
- Mémé (French)
- Babcia (Polish)
- Busia (Polish)
- Yiayia (Greek)
- Bubbe (Yiddish)
- Savta (Hebrew)
- Halmoni (Korean)
- Obaachan (Japanese)
- Nainai (Mandarin, paternal)
- Waipo (Mandarin, maternal)
- Vovó (Portuguese)
- Farmor (Swedish, paternal)
- Mormor (Swedish, maternal)
- Babushka (Russian)
- Teta (Arabic, informal)
- Dadi (Hindi, paternal)
- Nani (Hindi, maternal)
Southern and regional American (8)
Regional in origin, though they travel further than people expect.
- Mamaw
- Meemaw
- Big Mama
- Honey
- Sugar
- Mimsy
- Nanny
- Granny Annie
Playful and modern (14)
For grandmothers who are not ready to be called Grandma.
- Glam-ma
- Gigi
- Birdie
- Bee
- Pippa
- Peaches
- Sunny
- Ducky
- Juju
- Lovey
- Cookie
- Bunny
- Foxy
- Kitty
Built from her own name (8)
The most personal route, and the one most likely to stick.
- Grandma Jane
- Nana Ruth
- Mimi Kate
- Gran Bess
- Nonna Rosa
- Grandma Jo
- Nana Bee
- Gigi Lou
For more than one grandmother (8)
When two or three grandmothers need telling apart.
- Grandma by the sea
- City Grandma
- Farm Grandma
- Grandma with the dogs
- Nana Upstairs
- Nana Downstairs
- Great-Grandma
- Gigi Great
How the name actually gets chosen
In practice there are three routes, and only one of them involves choosing.
She picks it. Usually before the birth, often in reaction to a name she does not want. This works about half the time.
The family assigns it. Common when there are two or three grandmothers and somebody has to be distinguishable. This is where the geographic names come from — Grandma by the sea was not anybody's first choice.
The child decides. The most common outcome. A toddler flattens whatever they were given into something they can say, and that becomes the name for forty years. Grammy becomes Gam. Nonna becomes Nonnie. This is not worth fighting.
If the name changes
It often does, and grandmothers who were attached to their original choice usually end up more attached to the version the child invented. The mangled name is evidence of the relationship, which is the part that mattered anyway.
What is worth settling early is the practical bit: whether both grandmothers are comfortable, and whether anyone is being handed a name they quietly dislike. That conversation is easier before the baby arrives than after.
If you are shopping for her as well as naming her, see 27 first-time grandma gifts or the best gift for a new grandma.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most popular grandma names?
Grandma, Nana, Granny and Grammy remain the most used in English-speaking countries, with Mimi and Gigi close behind among grandmothers who want something shorter.
What are some unique names for a grandma?
Playful options like Birdie, Lovey, Coco, Juju and Bee are increasingly common, as are names built from her own first name, such as Nana Ruth or Mimi Kate.
What do grandmas get called in other languages?
Nonna in Italian, Abuela in Spanish, Oma in German and Dutch, Yiayia in Greek, Babcia in Polish, Savta in Hebrew, Halmoni in Korean, and Mormor or Farmor in Swedish depending on which side of the family she is on.
When do you decide on a grandma name?
Most families settle on one before the birth, but the name that lasts is usually whatever the child produces once they start talking. Saying the preferred name often during the first eighteen months is what makes it stick.