Names for Grandma and Grandpa

Updated on December 30, 2010
K.M. asks from North Richland Hills, TX
36 answers

I have just found out that my oldest daughter is going to have a baby, so I will be a grandmother. I am only 39. Any ideas on other names besides Grandma and Grandpa, or memaw and pawpaw?

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So What Happened?

Thanks so much to everyones suggestions. I have decided to wait until he or she is here and able to come up with whatever endearement they choose.

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B.D.

answers from Dallas on

My husband and I went round and round about this...

we settled on some names but when the baby got here my name changed. Seeing him and talking to him was and is so sweet so when I would say 'Nana is going to get you... :o)' it just didn't sound right to me so I changed it to 'Grammy' that name fits me better and I like the way it sounds too... My husband goes by Papa.
So I guess what I am saying is it might be good to wait and see what name feels right to you... :o)

Good luck and Congrats!!!

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A.R.

answers from Dallas on

We have grands and great-grands still alive as well as step-grands so we had to get creative :)

We have:
Nana - my mom
Papa - my dad
Grammy - DH mom
Don - DH stepdad's name, he never got a nickname
Boom Boom - DH dad, shoots skeet and nephew nicknamed him
Gigi - DH stepmom
NanyNany - great grandma
Grandma - great grandma
Grandpa - great grandpa
MiniMa - my step grandma

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K.A.

answers from Dallas on

My mother-in-law is Nona (spanish). I used to babysit for a couple that had an Oma and Opa (they were German and "O" means grand). My parents are "Gramma" and "Grampa". I also know people who use Mimi, Memama, Ga-ga and Gran.

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A.S.

answers from Dallas on

My friend's mother-in-law didn't want to be called Grandma and has taught her grandkids to call her "Lovey". And another friend's mother-in-law is called "Kee kee". I'm not sure of the spelling, but I think she said that it was grandma in hawaiian.(sp?). try googling it!

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T.O.

answers from Dallas on

Congrats! By the time the baby can talk maybe you'll feel like being called Granny or Grandma, but if not I hope you get some good suggestions.

You could always go by initials... Grandma K. could be "GK" or use your last name "GM", but GK almost sounds like a name (Geekay), so I like it better.

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K.K.

answers from Dallas on

I haven't read all your responses, but we have a few grandparents and one was not wanting a 'name' but she liked "Gigi" (pronounced GG). We also have:

mamaw
grammy
gram
grandma
nana

Congratulations....

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B.T.

answers from Wichita Falls on

I call my grandparents GrandMama and GrandDaddy. I've always liked it. My Grandmother is a southern bell so it suits her well.

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B.M.

answers from Dallas on

My in-laws are Mimi & Grandpa, my parents are Grandma & Grandad, and my husband's grandparents are Nanny & Papa. I have extended family that call their grandmas NaeNae (pronounced Nay-Nay), Nanna, or Gran. For the grandpas I have heard Poppie, Pop-po, and Pap.

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N.

answers from Dallas on

My cousins and I called our grandparents Mamom and Papop (short vowel sound on the "a"). My husband and his cousins called his grandparents Ninny and Granddad. My kids call my husband's mom Granny and my mom Grandma Lou. My mom would just prefer Lou I think, but she's very non-conventional as it is.

Congratulations on your first grandbaby!

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J.B.

answers from Dallas on

My mom became a grandma a month after she turned 40 (by the way, 10 years later and she's going to have 6 grandkids by the end of this year!) and she goes by Nanny. My dad is called Papaw. I have a friend, though, who's son calls his grandparents G-Ma and G-Pa. Keep in mind that, no matter what you pick, the baby might not be able to say it exactly and it could end up being something entirely different that sticks. My grandmother wanted to be called Gammy, but my older brother couldn't say it. He said Namny and that's what we all called her :)

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L.H.

answers from Dallas on

My mother was not looking forward to being called "Grandma" either at 50 years old. We let my son pick his own name for her. We did not call her anything (that was harder than it may sound). He wound up calling her NeNa. Not to be confused with Nana or Nanny. It is more like when you are saying, "Nay, I don't want any, thank you." (The short "e" and "a" sounds.) It actually started out Ninny, but as he got older it transformed into NeNa (or how ever one would spell it. We were all skeptical that he would actully pick a name for her. She was the only one that was confident that he would. Obviously, he did and it has stuck for 10+ years and more grandchildren.

So, you might want to do what my mother did and let the new baby pick their own name for you.

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T.L.

answers from Dallas on

My children call my mother MiMi and my oldest son used to call my daddy Grampy.

I've also heard GiGi or G-Ma for Grandma.

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E.W.

answers from Dallas on

My daughter cause my MIL and FIL Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop, I also have a Meme, Mamaw and Papaw. My step mother is Nana and my dad is Pops.

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K.M.

answers from Dallas on

My Mom is also a young grandma and refused from day one to be called Grandma! : )
She goes by Nana and the name has stuck with her so good we all call her Nana now. : )
My dad always went by Grandpa or pa-pa but he didn't mind what the kids called him.
I think Pops is cute but kinda sounds like something a son would call his dad....

Congratulations on your new grandbaby!

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D.

answers from Dallas on

My Mom did not want to be called Grandma either so she went through a whole list of names that she was thinking of using until she decided on Gammy. Well my daughter had a different idea and started calling her MiMi. My kids call their grandfather pa which is another one my daughter made up.

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J.R.

answers from Dallas on

My dad's parents were called Grammie and Grampie. A lady at church's husband is called Pops.

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J.F.

answers from Dallas on

My kids call my mom Mammy and they have a Mimi too. I hope you can decide what you like and congrats on your new grandbaby!

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I.C.

answers from Dallas on

I call my Grandmother G Ma and my daughter calls her grandmas momo and wita and she calls her grandpas popo and wito. (She calls the gramdpas "dudes" and the grandmas "Lady" sometimes, depending on her mood.

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W.K.

answers from Dallas on

My kids call my mom "G-ma". It was the easiest thing to say when my oldest nephew was little so he called her that and it stuck.

They call my dad "P-paw".

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G.W.

answers from Dallas on

my kids call theirs Nana and Papa (paw -paw) :-)

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D.C.

answers from Dallas on

Bubbie & Zadie - its yiddish for grandma & grandpa. Pop is what we always called our grandpa. If you are really adverse to grandma you can try Honey, your first name - just "G". Also Nana.

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J.C.

answers from Dallas on

I have heard of Gee Gee or Grand being used. Congrats!

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C.S.

answers from Amarillo on

My mom was 39 when I had a baby too. She was the same way so we used Momma Gale (her name is Gale) and my dad is Daddy B (last name starts with a B). Hearing the kids say it is SOOOO much cuter than reading it. :) Congrats on the granchild on the way!! --C.

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M.B.

answers from Dallas on

"Nana" or just "Nan" would be my preference and "Pop" for grandpa.

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A.D.

answers from Dallas on

My cousin didn't like the traditional names either so we went with family heritage... and her mom and dad are called Oma and Opa

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H.D.

answers from Dallas on

My mom and dad are granny and papa (not paw paw but pop-uh). My MIL is Granna (Gran-uh). I also think Gran is cute!

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E.O.

answers from Amarillo on

my mom was also 39 when I had my daughter. My baby calls my parents Nanna (or Nan) and Poppa. We also have a Zadie, Neena and Trandad. Also, we have a Savta and Saba, Hebrew for grandmother. Hope it helps!

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J.T.

answers from Dallas on

I vote for GiGi or MiMi for Grandma and PaPa for Grandpa!

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R.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

My kids call their grandparents nana and papa.

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J.B.

answers from Amarillo on

My stepson calls my MIL Nannu (like from Mork and Mindy) and my FIL Poppo. I'm sure that that's what my son will call them when he is able to say it! Congrats on the new grandbaby!

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R.E.

answers from Dallas on

My inlaws are called Mimi and Pop.

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L.L.

answers from Dallas on

My kids call my mom Nanna and my dad Paw Paw. My inlaws are grandma and Grandpa but my youngest calls them meemaw and peepaw.

My nephews and neice call my mom Mimi (me-me).

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T.L.

answers from Dallas on

My daughter calls my mom "Nonny". My sister's grandkids call her "Honey" - her name is Sunny and they would hear her name so that is where it came in. My daughter called one of her grandad's "G-Dad", another "Papa" and one grandma is "Mimi".

Hope this helps,

T.

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S.C.

answers from Phoenix on

When my son tried to say "grammy" for the first time, it sounded more like "no-nee" (as in "no knee") which we decided to stick with. Turns out, Nonni is actually an italian word for grandmas (singular grandma would be Nonna). Anyway, it worked for us and just sounds adorable. It's also something kids can say from a very young age and won't get confused with "mama" like "grandma" often does.

But letting the kids decide is also a great choice. I know my MIL had decided on "Gran" before my son was born, but I think she liked it that he sort of chose Nonni.

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J.R.

answers from Dallas on

We have Grams & Gramps, Nana & Grandpa, Granny & PaPaw, Me-Ma & Pe-Pa, and Grandmother.

My husband's co-worker was about to become a Grandpa and we were teasing him saying he should be called "Grump-pa". It actually fit him perfectly and has stuck!

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G.R.

answers from Lafayette on

I was 41 and waaaay too young to be called grandma or memaw. I chose Mimi. Now, eleven years and five grandchildren later, I'm called Mimi or Meem. I love hearing those little voices calling out Mimi or Meem!!!!

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