The cutest nicknames children have for their grandparents
You know what you will call the baby, but what will the baby call your parents?
Many grandparents these days prefer to think outside the traditional names box and leave the Nan, Pop and other “grand” grandparent names for the older generation.
After all, nothing shows your age quite like a child yelling, “Grandmother!” through the shops.
So what are some alternatives to Grandma and Grandpa? We’ve rounded up the very best in grandparent names to help you come up with one that is not only personal but playful as well.
You’ve probably heard of Nana and Papa, but what other nicknames can your kids call your parents?
The cultural and the classics
Looking for something meaningful – here are a few from different languages and cultures around the globe.
- Na and Pa, Nanny and Poppy, Nan and Pop
- Gram and Gramps, Gramma and Grampa, Granny and Grampy
- G-Ma and G-Pa
- Teeta and Seedo (Arabic)
- Jadda and Jadd (Arabic)
- Baba and Dyido (Bulgarian)
- Baba and Djed (Croatian)
- Oma and Opa (Dutch and German)
- Yaya and Papou (Greek)
- Dida and Dadu (India)
- Daddi and Daada (Hindi)
- Nonna and Nonno (Italy)
- Savta and Saba (Hebrew)
- Bomma and Bonpa (Flemish)
- Mawmaw and Pawpaw (American)
- Amma and Afi (Icelandic)
- Babushka and Dedushka (Russian)
- Tita and Tito (Hispanic)
- Lola and Lolo (Filipino)
- Bibi and Babu (Swahili)
- Nai Nai and Ye Ye (Mandarin)
The weird, wacky and wonderful
Even Queen Elizabeth prefers not to be called Grandma; Prince George calls his great-grandma his “Gam Gam” and here are a few more adorable nicknames, often straight from the mouths of babes.
- Amma and Adda
- Abba and Ace
- Lolly and Pop
- Bemmer and Bepop
- Bubbles and Bubba
- Mommo and Poppo
- Glamma and Glampa
- BonBon and Babar
- NuNu and PePop
- MayMay and PawPee
- Dooda and Doody
- G-Mama and G-Papa
- Mamster and Papster
- Nanzie and Popzie
Grandparent names from our Babyologists
We asked you, our readers, what your kids call their grandparents and received a number of adorable answers. Here are a few more to add to the list.
- Moggy and Pop
- Yo-Yo and Ahh-Ha
- Pacca (and presumably, Macca)
- Pocky and Gang-Gang
- Vovo and Grumps
- Ye Ye and Be Be
- Duggy Wuggy and Nana Wana
- Grandbugs and Grandmoose
- Lala and Zeus
- Saba and Savta
- Ga-Ga and Ha-Ha
- Yamma and Yampa
Of course, often nicknames simply come from what your kids decide to call them and often they are as random as ever. We’ve heard of grandparents who are called Birdie, Twinkie, Apple, Boatie, Tooti, Bunny, Skipper, Sugar and pretty much every other noun under the sun (and several made-up words) simply because they are easy for little ones to say.
And, as any grandparent knows (and grandparents-to-be will soon find out), often it’s what the kids say that goes!
(middle image via Linzey Hunter)