Most Popular Grandparent Nicknames by State (2024)

Remember the days of heading to your grandparents’ house, knowing at least one person was there waiting to give you a great, big hug (and maybe a cookie)? For many children, that relationship was and is something to celebrate.

And, because many of us enjoy and remember spending time with our parents, uh, parents, we also remember the endearing nicknames we use for them – beyond just “Grandma” and “Grandpa.”

So what nicknames are the most popular throughout the U.S.? To find out, we mapped the most popular names folks call their grandparents across all 50 states – and what we found might surprise you.

Key takeaways

• “Nana” and “Papa” are the most popular nicknames for grandma and grandpa in the U.S.
• Of 50 states, 34 had a majority say they’d rather spend time with their grandparents than their parents.
• This may sound odd, but 49% would confide in their grandparents over their parents.
• An incredible 44% of respondents said their maternal grandma is the #1 fan favorite.

How today’s grandparents are bucking tradition

The baby boomer generation is taking a unique approach to step into their roles as grandparents. Shying away from the traditional names of “grandma” and “grandpa”, they are opting for nicknames that resonate more with their vibrant spirit and sense of individuality. This inclination has given rise to a new set of trendy names that grandparents go by.

Intrigued by this cultural shift, we turned to Google Trends to analyze the popularity of these new-age grandparent names over the last five years.

Below is a compilation of the most sought-after nicknames:

Popular trendy nicknames for “grandmother”

1. Gigi
2. Nana
3. Mimi
4. Gran
5. Bibi
6. Momo

Popular trendy nicknames for “grandfather”

1. Poppy
2. Pops
3. Papi
4. G-Pa
5. Grandude
6. Papa

When segmented by state, the results offer a glimpse into trendy nicknames on a local level.

My name is “Grandma” – or something else entirely

What about grandparents who AREN’T in the baby boomer generation?

It may be no surprise that many of those surveyed across the U.S. use the classic expression of “Grandma” when it comes to their grandmothers, but many other nicknames are also popular. We analyzed the most popular nickname, excluding “Grandma,” in every state.

The map shown represents the most popular nicknames for grandma by state, where you can see the ever-sweet “Nana” garnered the majority of voters, a total of 12 states with a big presence in New England and the Midwest. “Grammy,” “Granny,” and Gran are all tied for second by count of states.

“Grandmother,” although rather formal, is popular in states ranging from Hawaii to Vermont. Spanish for “grandmother” and tied with “Grandmother” and “Mamaw” for third place, “abuela” is used across four states: Arizona, California, Florida, and Texas. Despite the popularity of the language, many Spanish speakers in the United States are second or third generation, who might deepen their relationship with the grandmother with some online Spanish classes.

But wait, there’s more! The survey’s “select all that apply” for this category gave over 35 options, including Nonna (Italian), Oma (German), Yiayia (Greek), Lola (Filipino), and Tata (Polish), among many others. This means that nearly twenty percent of those surveyed likely use “Grandma” and a nickname rooted in their specific cultures and/or backgrounds. Neat, right?

Don’t call me “Al” – call me “Dedushka”

If you’re Russian – or speak it, that is! Among the other nicknames for grandpa given as options to survey participants were Zayde (Yiddish), Ojiisan (Japanese), Vovô (Portuguese), and Daideo (Irish), all of which are undoubtedly used somewhere across the United States.

While excluding “Grandpa” as the most common title, this state-specific map shows the most-loved alternatives for referring to a parent’s father. Our results show “Papa” as the winner, with 13 states preferring the nickname.

“Granddad” was top in many Southern states, including Virginia, Georgia, and South Carolina (along with some Western presence), and “Abuelo” was popular in California, Nevada, and New Mexico. The adorable “Pop-pop” was selected across seven states, while “Grandfather,” “Papaw,” and “Pawpaw,” all earned smaller pieces of the response pool.

It doesn’t matter what you call your grandpa – as long as you go fishing when he asks you to.

And the winner is…

Even if you’re not close with your grandparents or didn’t have the chance to spend a lot of time with them, it is easy to understand why young people appreciate doing so. The pressure is off – leaving lots of room to connect as individuals and, potentially, friends.

A whopping 68% of respondents agree that they’d rather spend time with their grandparents over their own parents, accounting for the majority in 35 states. Although most of these states are in the eastern and Midwestern U.S., California also thinks grandpa and grandma rule.

If two-thirds of the responses indicate spending time with grandparents is preferred, it makes sense that 49% said they’d confide in their grandparents about things they aren’t comfortable talking to their parents about. Makes you wonder what those could be, right?

Actions speak louder than words

With it being clear that many Americans have loving nicknames for their grandma and grandpa – some with several – and feel comfortable sharing their deepest secrets with them, it makes sense this isn’t just survey lip-service.

Impressively, the average American sees at least one of their grandparents 27 times a year, just a bit over bi-weekly. A near half of surveyed Americans (about 45%) said they speak to their grandparents on the phone at least monthly, too, meaning that they’re willing to communicate in multiple ways with their grandparents on a regular basis. No wonder why mom and dad are mad you don’t answer their texts.

But what about the big showdown between grandma and grandpa? A stunning 67% said their grandma was their favorite grandparent (with maternal grandma earning 44% of the vote), while collective grandpas were the favorite among 26% of participants. Through grandma is the champion, 7% answered “Other,” meaning they’re lucky enough to have an older person in their lives to connect with.

Alright, it’s fair to say that grandparents are very lovable based on all the presented data, but only 21% of respondents are planning to celebrate National Grandparents’ Day this year. Even if that might sound a little overboard, don’t knock it until you’ve tried it! It’s fun to think about what that kind of celebration might look like, anyhow.

Pick up the phone, send a card, or even learn a language this year

In the end, this survey tells it straight: grandma and grandpa rule. Aside from the nicknames above and corresponding languages, respondents reported they also speak to their grandparents in Vietnamese, Korean, Chinese, French, Hindi, Arabic, and Punjabi (in addition to English). This goes to show that culture is key to these precious relationships – and what better way to dig into yours than with an English language tutor from Preply?

With National Grandparents’ Day just around the bend on September 10th, learning how to speak to your loved one in a new language could be a wonderful way to show you care. By learning with a 1-on-1 tutor through engaging and unique conversations, you’ll still be able to say, “I love you, Grandma!” in a new way by then – which would be pretty cool.

Methodology

For this study completed August 4th, 2023, we surveyed 1,500 Americans throughout all 50 states – 55% of them women, 43% men, and 2% non-binary. The median age of respondents was 35 years old. Survey responses are from people with either living grandparents OR with similar relations when grandparents were living (if all grandparents are now deceased).

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