The ethnicity that calls their grandma "Nonna" is primarily Italian, as it's the Italian word for grandmother, often used affectionately by Italian families and Italian-Americans to honor their heritage, though it can also appear in Ladino.
As previously mentioned, in French the word is grandmère, but in Italian, it's nonna. In Spanish, the term is abuela, or if you want to be cozy and cute about it, you'd call her your abuelita, which means “little grandma.” In Portuguese, the word is avó.
Its origin stems from baby talk and simple phonetics, making it one of the first words children learn to associate with their grandmother. It's especially popular in the U.S., U.K., and Australia, and also appears in cultures around the world. With its warm, affectionate tone, Nana remains a timeless favorite.
Mamaw Comes from Lowland Scots, where "ma" is used to address one's own mother and "maw" is used to address others' mothers. Meemaw Comes from the Cajun French word memere (may-MARE), which means "granny" or "grandma". It's typically used by Southern US families. I had a mamaw and papaw.
Nonna is of Latin origin and has diverse roots and meanings. In Latin, it means “ninth” and is commonly given to girls born in the ninth month, September. In Italy, it's a common term of endearment and respect used to refer to one's grandmother.
In Italian culture, nonna embodies the nurturing, caring aspects of a grandmother's role, often associated with cooking, storytelling, and passing down traditions. The word also signifies a matriarchal figure within families and communities, emphasizing the importance of heritage and legacy.
The top 10 grandma names
For cool grandma names, try modern options like Gigi, Glamma, Coco, or Mimi, cultural choices like Nonna (Italian), Lola (Filipino), or Oma (German), or unique nicknames such as G-Ma, Glamma, Lolly, or Meemaw, all offering a fresh, fun alternative to traditional titles. The best name often reflects the grandma's personality or family heritage and is easy for kids to say.
A list of Hippie Grandma Names included Cookie, Mimzy, Gram Cracker and Tootsie. Nana showed up as the most popular grandma name in my state, though I don't know anyone who uses it.
"Fangool" (or Va fangool) is a heavily slang, often playful-sounding, Italian-American corruption of the Italian phrase "Va' a fare in culo," which directly translates to a vulgar "go f*** yourself" or "go stick it up your ass," used to express strong anger, dismissal, or contempt. It's a colorful expression of telling someone to get lost or that you don't care about their opinion, similar to "get out of my sight!".
In Jamaica, "pum pum" (or "pum-pum") is slang for the female genitalia (vulva) and is a common, often cheeky, term used in dancehall music, everyday banter, and cultural references to describe female anatomy or sexuality, appearing in phrases like "pum pum rule".
The Skettel is defined as a woman who is perceived as having questionable morals, a characteristic measured against middle-class respectability.
Babushka (means grandmother in Russian) – New Women New Yorkers.
Oma is the informal German name for grandmother or grandma. Grossmutter is the more formal term.
Gigi name popularity
The name has Italian origins and is often used as a diminutive for names like Georgina, Georgiana, or Regina. It gained notable recognition through the 1958 musical film "Gigi" starring Leslie Caron.
We have Gran, Grams, Grandma, Mimi, Gigi , Gaga, Mamaw, MomMom, and Nana in our extended family. When I became a grandmother, I chose to go by the name we called the grandmother I was closest to, as kind of a way to honor her as well.