250+ Cute Alternative Or Nicknames For Grandma To Smile

A grandmother is the safety net for most people in the family. If you share a similar special bond with yours, you may want to find some adorable nicknames for grandma. While some women may be wary of becoming grandmothers as it may suddenly make them feel they are getting older, others may be very excited.

Read this post as we bring some cute nicknames for grandma’s. You may read the post to find the one that fits your grandma’s aura and personality the most. It may take some time getting used to being called a grandma, but with the charming antics of the grandchild, she will soon adjust to the new role and nickname for herself.

In This Article

Cute Names For Grandma

Lori Stratton, a grandparent, teacher, and writer, shares her experience with nicknames to her as a grandmother, “My first granddaughter was born, and I decided to just be called “Grandma.” But while I reveled in all the newborn cuddles, I couldn’t help but feel like the name “Grandma” just didn’t fit me… I finally decided on “Mimi.” Not because it sounds younger than “Grandma,” even though it really does, but because I personally don’t know anyone else named Mimi. I wanted something special, unique to me. The relationships I have with each of my now three grandchildren are special in that way. Also, I have to admit, I wanted something easy to say and easy to spell. I envisioned crayon drawings with my name scrawled underneath. The name, “Mimi,” afterall, has only two letters to learn (i).”

So, what nickname do you think will please your grandma? Check if one or more of these cute nicknames suit her.

  1. Grammy
  2. Big Mom
  3. Mamaw
  4. Big Mum
  5. Grams
  6. Big Mumma
  7. Omi
  8. Big Momma
  9. Lala
  10. Honey
  11. Granny Nanny
  12. Ki-Ki
  13. Memaw
  14. Lovey
  15. Momo
  16. Lolly
  17. Nini
  18. Ma
  19. Ouma
  20. Maw
  21. Busha
  22. MawMaw
  23. Mammy
  24. MeeMaw
  25. Marmee
  26. Mom-Mom
  27. Gammie
  28. Moo-Moo
  29. Grana
  30. Muffy
  31. Nectar
  32. Queenie
  33. Coco
  34. Sassy
  35. Zuzu
  36. Sugar Mum
  37. Twinkie
  38. Sugar
  39. Granita
  40. Sweetie
  41. Zaida
  42. Sweetheart
  43. Opa
  44. Sweetu
  45. Pippa
  46. Snuggy
  47. Luma
  48. MuMu
  49. BeeBee
  50. Peaches
  51. Birdy
  52. Moony
  53. Nans
  54. Luxie
  55. Gams
  56. Grandmo
  57. Opal
  58. Dandy
  59. Pipi
  60. Moogie
  61. Zizi
Peaches, a nickname for grandma

Image: Shutterstock

Hippie Grandma Names

These nicknames are for the free-spirited and cool grandmas with tattoos. If your nan loves to wear hippie clothing and indulges herself in groovy music, then these wisely picked hippie grandma names can best match your requirement to grab her attention.

  1. Moonbeam
  2. Bibi
  3. Stardust
  4. Bebe
  5. Rainbow
  6. Big Mama
  7. Aurora
  8. Bobo
  9. Marvel
  10. Boo Boo
  11. Harmony
  12. Janis
  13. Meadow
  14. Karma
  15. Dayspring
  16. Cee Cee
  17. Fable
  18. Chacha
  19. Cosmo
  20. Cookie Factory
  21. Spirit
  22. Deeda
  23. Breeze
  24. DiDi
  25. Echo
  26. Eemaw
  27. Radiance
  28. Graham Cracker
  29. Phoenix
  30. Honey
  31. Luna
  32. Hopie
  33. Bliss
  34. Lolli
  35. Solstice
  36. Mumssy
  37. Dreamer
  38. Mimzy
  39. Seraphina
  40. Momzy
  41. Marmie
  42. Momsie
  43. Juniper
  44. MooMaw
  45. Zenith
  46. Mun Mun
  47. Grema
  48. Nanni
  49. Sonnet
  50. Sunny
  51. Nova
  52. Tootsie
  53. Indigo
  54. Blossom
  55. Skye
  56. Starshine
  57. Crystal
  58. Ember
  59. Saffron
  60. Marigold
  61. Feather
  62. Sage
  63. Ivy
  64. Nanas
Tootsie, a cool nickname for grandma

Image: Shutterstock

Fun Grandma Names

Add a fun factor to your grandma’s name by playing this cool game that trended on social media. To play this game, you need to note all the months and associate each month with a singer’s name.

  1. Grandma’s Singer Nicknames
  • January = Aril Lavigne
  • February = Nicki Minaj
  • March = Britney Spears
  • April = Lady Gaga
  • May = Cardi B
  • June = Katy Perry
  • July = Ellie Goulding
  • August = Celine Dion
  • September = Taylor Swift
  • October = Alicia Keys
  • November = Amy Winehouse
  • December = Mariah Carey

Now, pick a singer as per your Grandma’s birth month. The nickname should be calculated as “Singer’s Second name” + “Grandma’s first name”, that is, if your grandmother was born in June and her first name is Melissa, then the nickname will be “Perry Melissa.” You can also form a nickname using the names of writers, actors, chefs, etc.

Hipster Grandma Names

Let’s get your grandma rolling on hot wheels, heavy bass, and trendy tattoos. Simply add “Lil” or “Yo” to your grandma’s second name. If grandma’s second name is Sarah, then the nickname will be “Lil Sarah” or “Yo Sarah.”

  1. Clementine
  2. Hazel
  3. Atticus
  4. Olive
  5. Lil Grandma
  6. Jasper
  7. Beatrice
  8. Felix
  9. Yo Grandma
  10. Matilda
  11. Grandmummy
  12. Lil Nan

Hipsters follow the hippy culture. Today, hippy slangs are commonly used on social media platforms. Find a chic hipster grandma name, click a selfie together, and share it on Instagram with #GangsterGrandma.

Modern Names For Grandmother

Our grandparents would have never imagined the world we live in today. Advanced gadgets, apps, games, and entertainment; there’s so much to explore. Here are a few modern nicknames for grandmother.

  1. Lux
  2. Angel Mom
  3. Zara
  4. Ammu
  5. Quinn
  6. Meme Factory
  7. Granmom
  8. Gigi
  9. G-Momma
  10. G-Ma
  11. G-Mama
  12. Belle-ma
  13. G-Mum
  14. Nyah
  15. Zola
  16. G-Mam
  17. G-Mom
  18. Gramlo
  19. Grand-diva
  20. G-Madre
  21. Grampie
  22. Glam-ma
  23. Lovel
  24. Glammy
  25. Grandeur
  26. Granny Pie
  27. Granulo
  28. Granno
  29. Vera
  30. Lovie
  31. Nola
  32. Fairy Mother
  33. Mila
  34. Instagran
  35. Zuri
  36. Mimsy
  37. Aria
  38. Nina
  39. Indie
  40. TikTok Queen
  41. Esme
  42. Queenie
  43. Cleo
  44. Pippi
  45. Juno
  46. Nyx
  47. Vella
  48. Vida
  49. Nonnaista
  50. Eco-Granny
Pippi, a modern nickname for grandma

Image: IStock

“Grandmother” In Other Languages

Go ethnic or traditional and surprise your nanna with these nicknames for grandma in other languages.

  1. Ayeeyo – Somali
  2. Jida – Arabic
  3. Gjyshja – Albanian
  4. Avó – Portuguese
  5. Babushka – Russian
  6. Bubbe – Yiddish
  7. Lola – Tagalog, Filipino
  8. Mamie or Mémé– French-Canadian
  9. Savta – Hebrew
  10. Gogo/ Ugogo – Zulu
  11. Gumbu (maternal) or Babi (paternal) – Dyirbal, the Aboriginal language of Australia
  12. Babcia – Polish
  13. Lao Lao (maternal), Nǎinai (paternal) – People’s Republic of China
  14. Kuia – Māori (New Zealand)
  15. Nenek – Malay
  16. Sobo – Japanese
  17. Yaya – Greek
  18. Halmeoni – Korean
  19. Nonna – Italian
  20. Büyükanne – Turkish
  21. Nana – Swahili

Irish Names For Grandma

“Seanmháthair” is the Irish name for granny. It means “old mother” and is commonly used for addressing your mother’s mom. It is also spelled sean mathair, seanmhair, and seanmathair. The other Irish terms for grandma include “Morai’” and “Maimeó.”
Another popular Irish term for grandma is máthair mhór. It means “Great Mother” and people use it to address their grandmother with respect. Ireland holds strong traditional values with its glorious past. The country celebrates Grandparent’s Day on the last Sunday of January each year. Grandparents are honored with gifts on this day.

  1. “Seanmháthair/ Maimeó/ Móraí/ Máthair mhór
Seanmháthair, an Irish nickname for grandma

Image: Shutterstock

German Name For Grandma

Germans have formal and informal names for calling grandmothers. Oma is informal, and Grossmutter is formal.

  1. 99. Oma/ Grossmutter

Spanish Name For Grandma

Abuela is the Spanish name for Grandma. Traditional Spanish grandma nicknames include tita, abbi, and lita.

  1. Abuela/ Tita/ Abbi/ Lita

French Name For Grandma

The traditional French term for grandmother is Grand-mère. It can be spelled with or without the hyphen. The French avoid addressing their grandmothers as grand-maman, as it is slightly less formal. Here are a few names for grandma in French.

  1. Grand-mère/ Mamé, Meme, Mémère

The first Sunday of March is celebrated as Grandmothers’ Day in France (Fête des Grand-Mères)

. The celebration started as a commercial event organized by the coffee brand, “Café Grand’Mère.” On this day, people meet and greet their grandmas, and restaurants offer special menus to make the day a memorable one for grandmas.

Cute Indian Grandma Names

Indians have a deep spiritual and emotional bonding with their traditional roots. Since ancient times, grandparents have been worshipped. Here are a few names for grandma in some popular languages spoken in India.

  1. Dadi (Paternal) – Hindi
  2. Nani (Maternal) – Hindi
  3. Bamma (Telugu)
  4. Dādī (Punjabi) (Gujarati)
  5. Pāṭṭi (Tamil)
  6. Ājī (Marathi)
  7. Muttaśśi (Malayalam)
  8. Ajji (Kannada)
  9. Thakuma (Bengali)
Thakuma, an Indian nickname for grandma

Image: IStock

Disney Grandma Names

Grandmothers in animation movies have always fascinated the viewers with their charm and glory. If you are a Disney freak, feel free to name your grandmom as per your favorite Disney grandma character.

  1. Mamá Coco (Coco)
  2. Grandma Wu (Turning Red)
  3. Grandmother Fa (Mulan)
  4. Elvira Coot (Duck family)
  5. Bentina Beakley (Ducktales)
  6. Betty Jo (Phineas and Ferb)
  7. Grandma Paguro (Luca)
  8. Gramma Alice (Big City Greens)
  9. Queen Athena (The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning)
  10. Queen Uberta (The Swan Princess)
  11. Gramma Tala (Moana)
  12. Mama Odie (The Princess and The Frog)
  13. Sarabi (The Lion King)
  14. Nana Darling (Peter Pan)
  15. Mrs. Potts (Beauty and the Beast)
  16. Luisa Flores (Elena of Avalor)
  17. Queen Tabitha (Ella Enchanted)
  18. Perdita (101 Dalmatians)
  19. Gramma May (Goldie and Bear)
  20. Lucille Krunklehorn (Meet the Robinsons)
  21. Abuelita (Gravity Falls)
  22. Duchess Matilda (Cinderella)
  23. Queen Anne (The Three Musketeers)
  24. Grandmother Willow (Pocahontas)
  25. Augusta Longbottom (Harry Potter)
  26. Grandmama Addams (The Addams Family)
  27. Chi-Chi (Dragon Ball GT)
  28. Granny (Looney Tunes)
  29. Muriel Bagge (Courage the Cowardly Dog)

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are some international nicknames for Grandma?

Some international nicknames for Grandma are Nana, Granny, Lola, Abuela, Nonna, Halmoni, Oma, and Babushka.

2. What are some creative nicknames for Grandma?

Some creative names for Grandma are Nanny, Grammie, Nanny-Granny, Grandy, Mimi, G-ma, Gammy, Bubbie, Queenie, Glamma, and Gran.

3. What are some unusual nicknames for Grandma in different languages?

Some unusual nicknames for Grandma in different languages are Yia-yia (Greek), Busia (Polish), Mormor (Swedish), Lolly (Welsh), Tutu (Hawaiian), Babi (Croatian), and Safta (Hebrew).

4. What are some Italian nicknames for Grandma?

Some Italian nicknames for Grandma are Nonna, Nonnina, Nonni, Nonnola, Nonnuccia, and Nonnetta.

5. Why do people give nicknames to their Grandmas?

Giving a nickname for Grandma shows how close a person is to their grandma, while the type of nickname suggests the bonding between grandchild-grandma. It can also help to express your love and respect towards her, or a nickname can also be a part of the family tradition.

A grandmother is the coolest shade of unconditional love for a child. You may use lovely nicknames for grandma to express how special she is. You can call her by cute names such as Big mom, Peaches, Lolly, or go for hippie names Hopie or Mumssy. Fairy mother, Granny Pie, or Yo Grandma can be other fun ways to address your sweet and caring grandma. Nicknames, whether traditional or unusual, are often remembered for years. So you should choose them with utmost care and love.

Infographic: Cute Names For Grandma

Grandmothers are epitomes of love, care, and all things nice for their grandchildren. So, in return, why not give your grandma a cute nickname to make her smile and feel special? In the following infographic, we have listed a few adorable nicknames that you can choose from. Read through and select the one that you like the most.

cute names for grandma (infographic)

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

Key Pointers

  • The choice of a nickname for Grandma signifies closeness between an individual and their grandmother.
  • Some nicknames that have gained worldwide recognition are Nana, Granny, Oma, and Babushka.
  • You can also explore cute and creative options such as Mimi, Nanny-Granny, and Grammie.
  • Unusual nicknames for Grandma in various languages include names such as Yia-yia in Greek and Busia in Polish.

nicknames for grandma_illustration

Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team


If you are looking for a unique and cool name for your grandma, you are just at the right place! Check out this video for some great ideas you’ll love!

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Dr. Margaret Ann Dixon
Dr. Margaret Ann DixonPh.D. Psychology
Dr. Margaret Ann Dixon is a psychologist in private practice in the state of Nevada, USA. With 30 years of experience in the field, she provides therapy for couples and individuals - young and mature. She has a background in school psychology and has worked with parents, children, and school teams.

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