And how do you choose one??

Becoming a grandparent is one of life’s greatest joys. Whether you’re about to hear your very first “Grandma!” or you already wear your special title with pride, there’s one big question that every grandparent faces…

👉 What will your grandchildren call you?

At first, it might seem straightforward – Grandma, Grandad, Nana, Grandpa. But trust us, after seeing the huge variety of names printed on our personalised books, we can tell you… choosing (or receiving!) your grandparent name is anything but simple.

And sometimes, you don’t even get a say in the matter at all! 😉

With thanks to our wonderful Tickled Moon customers and friends, here’s a little guide to some of the best grandparent names (refreshed and updated) – from the traditional to the totally unexpected.

The Classic Grandparent Names

Grandma, Granny, Nana, Grandad, Grandpa… the timeless favourites.

But even here, there are twists and strong opinions!

“I’m a Nannie. I refuse to be called Nanna or Grandma 👀 Sorry, but it’s not for me, nor do I bake cakes or knit hats, but I love her dearly 🤣🥰” – Lisa

And let’s not forget the spelling debates: Grandad or Granddad? Nanna, Nana or Nannie? Each family swears their way is the way.

So many to start with and choose from!!

The Classics…with a twist!

You may start out thinking you’ve nailed the basics, but your grandchildren (and children) may like to add a little extra flavour:-

“We have ‘far away Grandma and Grandad’ because they live in Newcastle and we live in Coventry. Then my girls also had ‘Kit Kat Grandma and Grandad’ – called this because they gave them Kit Kats.” – Holly

Other variations we’ve seen are ‘Grandma Who Lives Up The Hill’, “Granny Apples” and ‘Grandad With The Moustache’ and….

“I am nan nan (I think my daughter calls me naughty nan nan, something to do with chocolate consumption at mine) 😆” – Kim

The Quirky & Unique

For some grandparents, It’s important to choose something a little bit different:-

“I’m Mommar, my grandma was Mommar so I wanted it xx” – Sue

So we see a few slightly less conventional Grandparent names cropping up on our books. Pops, Papa and Poppy are very popular, especially in the US, alongside Mimi and Mama. 

“I called my grandmother Mini Mama. She’s from the south, and she really wanted her and her husband to be called Little Mama and Big Papa because she was tiny and he was very tall, but my oldest bro couldn’t say that. So they became Mini Mama and Big Papa, and I loved it.” – Kyro

Other popular different and delightful grandparent names that we see include Memaw and Pawpaw, Mommar, Lolly and LaLa. 

And finally – and I do feel slightly sorry for the Grandads who get lumbered with this, (although sometimes they may deserve it…) – Grumps!

Around the World

Grandparent names aren’t just fun in English — they’re a joy in every language.

“I used to call my grandmother Oomie, or I think it is spelt Oumie and it’s Afrikaans for grandmother. I always loved the name”- Rebecca

Some of the beautiful ones we’ve seen include:

• Oma & Opa (German/Dutch)

• Yia Yia & Papou (Greek)

• Abuela & Abuelo (Spanish)

• Nonna & Nonno (Italian)

• Nani/Dadi & Nana/Dada (Hindi)

• Bibi & Babu (Swahili)

• Maimeó & Daideó (Gaelic)

Made Up or Misheard Grandparent Names (the BEST ones!)

This is where the magic really happens – when a grandchild creates a name all by themselves.

“My mom wanted “gramma” but my boys started calling her “Amo” and it stuck! She was upset until I told her “te amo” means “I love you” in Spanish”. – Megan

(Quick thinking there Megan..🤣) 

For some, choosing their own special name is a celebrated family tradition:-

“We have a whole raft of names for the male generations – I named my great grandad Depar, my grandad Nagar and my son named my dad Gagool.” – Katie

“My mum is Mamgu, I am called Gu by my Grandchildren. My mum is also known as Granny Bubbles. I think it’s lovely the names they think we should be called.” – Mariad

For others, it was simply easier for the child to create their own version:-

“I am Moo to my granddaughter. It was easier to say when she was little”

“My youngest when she was about 2-3 couldn’t say Grandad so just called him Bob-Bob.” Laura

“My little boy couldn’t say Grandma when he was 18 months so my mum is now known as Mamwar….” Sara

Sometimes it’s impossible to explain the grandchild’s name choice for their grandparent, and often it then gets adopted by the whole family with hilarious results, as Sara goes on to explain:-

“…And Dad is know as Alf – same child couldn’t say Grandfather (his name is Pete but known as Alf to all family now 🤣). Even my friend at my sons school said once, oh I know your dads name – Alf… I was like no, his actual name is Pete 🤣”

Finally, in the case of one customer, your grandchild may just decide to cut corners and plump you both together:-

“Gangananny, we’re a team!” – Glenda

A Final Thought

Whether you’re Grandma, Pops, Moo, or Alf … the truth is, the best grandparent name is simply the one your grandchildren call you. ❤️

“’My love’ my grandchild calls me” – Kim

It may not be the name you choose – but it’s always the name that means the most.

And here’s the lovely part: at Tickled Moon, whatever your special name is, you can have it printed right on the cover of a personalised book – alongside your grandchild. Whether you’re choosing one for yourself and your grandchild to share, or as a thoughtful gift for grandparents who seem to have everything, these keepsake stories will be treasured forever.

👉 Explore our books for grandparents here.

Because every cuddle, every story, every name… deserves to be celebrated.

I hope that you’ve enjoyed discovering the BEST Grandparent Names. If you’d like to discover more, there are a list of over 500 here! And please comment below if I’ve missed any of your favourites out.😊