Choosing a Grandparent Name? Here’s How Families Are Approaching It Today

Becoming a grandparent is a huge milestone—one filled with love, excitement, and, of course, the big question: What will the baby call you? Gone are the days when every grandparent automatically went by Grandma or Grandpa. Today’s grandparent names are as unique and personal as the people who wear them, from timeless favorites to modern, unexpected choices.

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to picking the perfect grandparent name, and I spoke with two experts to get the best tips. DeeDee Moore, who is the founder of More Than Grand, a platform dedicated to all things grandparenting and helping folks navigate their new role, shared her helpful insight. I also connected with Colleen Slagen, baby name consultant and founder of Naming Bebe, who occasionally works with grandparents looking for just the right name for their grandbaby to call them.

Whether you’re a new grandparent searching for a name that feels just right or a parent helping guide the decision, we’ve got you covered. We’ll explore how grandparent names have evolved, share plenty of inspiration, and help you find the perfect fit for your family.

How Grandparent Names Have Evolved

Coming up with unique variations of Grandma and Grandpa isn’t a new concept—in fact, various regions and cultures have unique titles. But today’s grandparents are taking creativity to a whole new level. Baby name consultant Colleen Slagen has noticed the trend firsthand: “I definitely see [grandparents] getting more creative and wanting to go out of the box a little bit. I don’t think it used to be a thing where people felt they had to decide on their ‘grandma name.’”

With younger generations stepping into grandparenthood, traditional names like Granny or Grandpa don’t always feel like the right fit. Instead, many are choosing names that reflect their personalities, keep up with modern trends, or help differentiate them from other grandparents in the family.

This is especially important in families where multiple sets or generations of grandparents are still present or those who have blended families and step-parents. Moore says sometimes, “You have to differentiate yourself.”

Ideas & Inspiration for Choosing a Grandparent Name

Your little one might not be able to pronounce their grandparents' chosen name right away, but that’s often how the most adorable nicknames are born! “Sometimes a grandparent name is just an iteration of how a child pronounces a traditional name like Grandma or Grandpa,” says Slagen. 

One grandmother shared: "I wanted a simple, easy name for my granddaughter. I picked ‘Gee,’ but at an early age, she decided my name would be ‘Ju-Ju.’ We still don’t know where this magical name came from, but who am I to argue? I love it!"

If you’re a parent thinking about what your baby will call their grandparents—or a soon-to-be grandparent looking for ideas—here are a few fun and meaningful ways families are choosing their names:

• Your name + Grandma/Grandpa: A creative way to personalize a grandparent name is by blending it with your first name. Slagen has seen names like Glinda (for Grandma Linda) and Glancy (for Grandma Nancy).

• Childhood nicknames: If you had a special nickname growing up, why not bring it back? Using a sentimental childhood name can add a personal and nostalgic touch.

• Short and sweet names: Typically ending with an ‘-ie’ sound, names like Gigi, Mimi, Nini, Cece, and Lollie are a popular grandparent naming convention. Not only fun and unique, but they’re also easy for little ones to say.

We also polled real Babylist parents to find out how their baby’s grandparent names emerged and received a ton of fun yet sentimental submissions. Here are a few that may spark your creativity.

“Grandma is called Lolli, and Grandpa is called Pops so we can say we're going to Lollipops!”

"Gaga and Appa"

"Honey B"

“Gemma, my initials are JEM. In Italian, gemma means precious or jewel, a great characteristic of my grandchildren.”  

“Oma & Opa, Nana & papa, Nini”

“Glamma—she’s a glamorous grandma.”

“Grumpa—because he’s just a little bit grumpy, but still loving and kind.”

“Meems—my mom thinks ‘Mimi’ sounds too old…so she cut it in half.”

“Lola/Lolo (grandparent in Tagalog/Filipino). It’s funny because my two-year-old thinks [those are their] names.”

“Gumbo. Because he is a dependable and gentle grandfather who showed up every Sunday with Gumbo for family dinner. So the oldest grandchild called him that upon arrival one evening and it stuck. A precious name for a beloved New Orleans grandfather to eight!”

“Scotty for grandma and Char for grandpa! They are their childhood nicknames so we wanted to bring them back.”

“Mimi & Pops (because they requested it), Papa & Gaga (because that’s how my daughter pronounced Grandpa and Grandma)”

“Sweet Tea and Chex Mix (now G-pa); My mom wanted a unique grandma name and my dad couldn’t come up with one. We went with my mom’s favorite drink and my dad earned the nickname Jeff Foxworthy’s grandchild had given him after we heard that story. Eventually my little one called him G-pa which has become his new grandparent moniker.”

“Basia (pronounced Ba-sha), the Polish word for Barbara, which is my mother-in-law's name. She is Polish and adopted my husband from Poland, so it is sentimental in that sense. It also is spelled and sounds very similar to the Polish word for grandma, Babcia. But it's easier to say, sounds prettier, and is unique to my mother-in-law!”

“Grumps instead of Gramps—which is ironic because my dad has a huge sense of humor.”

“Tito and Tita (from the Spanish names Abuelita and Abuelito).”

“Abuela, which is Spanish for grandma. Because my niece can’t pronounce Abuelita, it’s usually shortened to “Weewee,” or “Wuelli” (pronounced like “wedgie”).”

“Grandma is Yaya. Grandpa is ‘Daddy Boo’. His name is Bill and she couldn’t say Bill and would always say Boo. Now she is almost six and calls him Daddy Boo.”

“Sweetie! It was her childhood nickname and she really is the sweetest.”

“DeeDee (Her name is Cindy, and first grandchild shortened "Grandma Cindy" to "Grandma DeeDee"); Nainie (Nain is Welsh for grandma. It's what I called my grandma so it's what my mom wanted to be called.)”

“My mom is called Mumzie because her maiden name starts with a Z. My dad is called Pop Pop. They both chose what they wanted to be called and our kiddo loves it.”

“Nana and Dandy. Dandy’s name is Dan. He originally wanted to be called Dandaddy (like granddaddy) but the first grandchild couldn’t quite say that and shortened it to Dandy! We all agreed it was a much better name for him and even cuter so it stuck!”

“Maja & Paja! My stepdad is Dutch and I call him Faja (long story tracing back to Austin Powers). One day in early postpartum we found the scene and realized they sing about the Maja too. Just like that, Maja and Paja were born!”

“Bee Bee, because her initials are B.B. and Lowepa because his last name is Lowe.”

“My dad’s grandpa name is Gru. He kind of looks like him but also a little boy I used to babysit called him that and it just stuck!”

“JJ and ChaCha! My parents’ names are Jay and Charlene. We always knew my dad would be JJ and my mom liked the idea of GiGi because they went together well, but there are just so many GiGi’s these days and she’s too unique for a common name. My sister and I brainstormed while I was pregnant and since most of her friends call her Char anyway, we just made it cutesy and landed on ChaCha!” 

“Bestie—short for bestemor, which is Norwegian for grandmother!”

So, who gets the final say?

While it’s not a super common occurrence, some grandparents find themselves faced with who gets to choose what baby will call them. “Getting to choose your [own grandparent] name is important. I do caveat that it's got to be something the parents can live with,” says Moore. This is an area where some parents may need to step back and let go of some of the control. As long as it’s nothing inappropriate, we think the decision should ultimately lie with the grandparents.