When you tell people your first grandchild is on the way, the first question they ask is usually, “When is it due?” The second question is invariably “What do you want to be called?” And for many grandparents, grandmothers especially, that is a hard question to answer! 

It was hard for me! Lacking any strong cultural ties, I didn’t have the easy solution of the friends who were Italian or Chinese and had traditional names to go to. Though my husband is half-Greek, YiaYia and Papou are still living, so those names are taken. I began to hope that my son and his wife would have an opinion that would make it unnecessary for me to choose. They didn’t, so I turned to the internet, sifting through lists in search of a name that sounded like something I could live with for the next 30-40 years.

Here I found suggestion ranging from the truly bizarre “Just call me Grandiose, darling!” to the almost unsettling, (Gummy! NotherMother! Creaky!).  I finally settled on Gran, in honor of Neville Longbottom’s remarkable grandmother. But every time I heard it said out loud, it sounded as if we were talking about someone else. So by the time my grandson was six months old, I’d switched to DeeDee, the nickname two generations of small family members have always called me.

The good news is that you have some time to pick your grandmother name—the baby isn’t going to connect you to your name for many months after his or her birth. Not to mention the fact that no matter what you decide on, there is a strong possibility that the child will mangle it into something far from what you planned.

But in case you, like me, need some help choosing a name, you can order the book Bubbe, Mimi & Gigi: The Best Grandmother Name Book Ever.* It promises to help you find the best name for new grandmothers--and grandfathers!

Meanwhile, here is as comprehensive a list as I could compile. I didn't include traditional names from other cultures, since you already know what they are if you're following your culture's traditions. I did, however, include some of the bizarre and unsettling, in case that’s what you are looking for! If you download the list, I've included some extra tips on how to pick your grandmother name! 

​Abba
Alba
Ama
A-May
Amba
Ami, Aimee
Amma
Ammy
Babe
Babo
Bacca
Bama, Bamma
Bamaw, Bammaw
Bamba
Bebe
Bella
Belle or Bella
Big Mama
Birdie
BonBon
Bubbie
CeCe, CiCi, CC, Cee Cee
Coco
Dally
DaMa, Dama, Dammaw
Dandy
Eema, Eemaw, Ema
Fammy
Fancy
Fo-Ma, Faux Ma
Foxy
G
G.M.
Gada
Gadgee, Gadgi, Gadgy
GaGa
GaMa, Gamma
Gammi, Gammy, Gami, Gammie
Gams
GandyMom
GanGan
Gangy, GanGee
Ganna
Ganni, Ganny, Gani
G-Dawg
Geeda, Geda
GeeMa
GeezerGirl
GG
Ginja
Gita
Glamama
Glamma
Glammy
G-ma
G-Mom
Gogi
Go-Go
Gommie, Gommy
Gram
Gramma, Grama
Grammar
Grammie, Grammy
Gramommie
Grams or Gramms
Gran
Grana
Granan
Granana
Grananny
Grandama
Grandgran
Grandma
Grandmama
Grandmom
Grandmother
Grandnan
Grandy, Grandi, GranDee
Granette
Grani, Granni, Granee
Granita
Granma
Granmama
Granmanny
Granmom
Granna
Grannie, Granny
Graylor
Grea, Greah
Gumma
Gummy

Hamma​
​Jamma
Kitty
Lala
Lally
Layla
Leelo, Lilo
Lela
Lola
M’dear
Mamaw, Mammaw
Mamey
Mammy, Mami, Mammi
Mams
Manni
Marmi, Marme
MawMaw
MayMay
Maymee
Mayna
Maysi
MeeMee, MeMe, MiMi
Meemer
MeMa, Meema, MeMaw, Mimaw
MeMo, MeeMo, Mimo
MeMom
Memot
Mia
Mimma
Mimmy, Mimsy
Minny, Mini
Modie
MoMa, MoMaw
MoMar
Mombo
Momette
MomMom
Mommoo
MoMo
Momsy
Mona
Monee
Mooma
Mum, Mums
Mumica
Mummers
Mumsy, Mumsey
MuMu
Muna
Nama, Namma
Nan
Nana, Nanna
Nanima
Nanny
Nano
Naunee
Necie
Neema
Nema
Ne-Ma
NeNe, NiNi
Nimo
Ninna
Ninny, Ninni
Noma
Nona, Nonna
Noni, NoNi, NoNee, Nonni, Nonny
NotherMother
Ona, Onna
Onie
OtherMother
Pama
Pebbles
Pippa
Pippy
Poma, Pomma
Sugar
Sugie, Shugie
TeeMa
Uma, Umma
Vanna
Wela
Yama
Yana
YaYo

Do you know anyone with a truly outrageous grandmother name? Please share it with us in the comments!

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