So Long, 'Grandma' — Here Are the Non-Boring Grandparent Nicknames You Need

If you have a baby on the way, you likely have some grandparents-to-be who are itching to know what they’ll be called, and they deserve a nickname that’s as original as they are.

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Maybe your kids’ grandparents are chic, stern, or goofy — but whatever they’re like, they’re more than likely hella wise. Because grandparents have been around the block more than once, which also means they can give fantastic advice — even when it’s the unsolicited kind. After all, isn’t “grandparenting” all the connection, excitement and love they had with their own kids without the stress?

One thing that’s not super-fun about grandparents? Feeling the pressure to come up with something else to call them — you know, a grandparent name that’s not “grandma” or “grandpa” like seemingly everybody else.

But luckily, those aren’t legally binding names (surprise!). And just because a grandparent name is popular doesn’t mean you need to join the trend (the most popular grandma name in Hawaii , for example, is “mama,” which might be somewhat confusing if that’s what your kid already calls … you). The good news is that you, your kids and your parents can collab on a set of perfect grandparent nicknames everyone loves. Here are some ideas — from the worldly to the wacky.

Traditional names for grandma

• Abuela
• Amma
• Bubbe
• Gaga
• Gram
• Gran
• Granny
• Gammie
• Mammaw
• Marmie
• Mimsy
• Mimi
• Momo
• Nan
• Nana (likely an Italian influence, from the Italian “nonna”)
• Nanny
• Nene
• Nonni (likely from a shortening of the Italian “nonnina,” which means “little grandmother”)
• Oma
• Yaya

Traditional names for grandpa

• Bobo
• Gramps
• Grampy
• Opa
• Pa
• Papa
• Pappoús (Greek for grandfather, pronounced “pa-poosch”)
• PapPap
• Pappaw
• PawPaw
• Pop
• Poppa
• PopPop
• Grandad
• Grandaddy

Fun nicknames for grandma

• Gogo (What Katie Couric plans to have her grandson call her )
• Gam-Gam (grandma name of the late Queen Elizabeth II )
• Gee Ma (Julie Hagerty’s character’s nickname in Marriage Story )
• Mamacita (Spanish for “little mama”)
• Mamey
• Momo
• Momsy
• Nooni
• Ona
• Nannaw

Fun nicknames for grandpa

• Bebop
• Gramps
• Grampy
• Granpup
• Hee Haw
• UmPaPa

Nicknames for grandma in other languages & dialects

• Cajun — MawMaw
• Chinese — Zumu or Wai Po
• Dutch — Grootmoeder
• Eskimo — Aanaga
• French — Mémère
• German — Oma
• Greek — Yaya
• Hawaiian — Kuku or Tutu
• Irish — Maimeo
• Italian — Nonna
• Jamaican — Nani or Granni
• Japanese — Obaasan
• Portuguese — Avó
• Russian — Babushka
• Spanish — Abuelita
• Yiddish — Bubbe
• Swahili — Bibi
• Ukrainian — Gigi

Nicknames for grandpa in other languages & dialects

• Cajun — PawPaw
• Chinese — YeYe or Wai Gong
• Dutch — Grootvader
• French — Pépère
• German — Opa
• Greek — Pappous
• Hawaiian — Tutu Kane
• Irish — Daidoe
• Italian — Nonno
• Japanese — Ojiisan
• Portuguese  — Vovô
• Russian — Dedushka
• Spanish — Abuelito
• Yiddish — Zayde
• Ukrainian — Baba
• Swahili — Babu

A version of this article was originally published in November 2015.

For more fun with wacky names, here are the weirdest celeb baby names we wish we’d thought of first.