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Cute Alternatives to Grandma and Grandpa

WarpedBritt
By WarpedBritt
Updated Mon Aug 15 2022
Who says you have to call your grandmother Granny? Cute, fresh alternatives to grandparent names.
  1. Birdie

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "bird"

    • Description:

      Birdie was until recently a middle-aged Ladies' Club member wearing a bird-decorated hat --but now it's just the kind of vintage nickname (think Hattie, Josie, Mamie, Millie) that's coming back into style in a big way. Actress Busy Philipps named her baby Birdie (inspired by First Lady Lady Bird Johnson), as did soap star Maura West.
  2. Bea

    • Origin:

      English diminutive of Beatrice, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "she who brings happiness"

    • Description:

      Bea is a former old lady name that's cute again as a short form — and is now beginning to stand on its own. Bee is a variation that, like Bea, can work as a diminutive for any name that starts with the letter B, or in the middle. Bea actually stood alone on the popularity lists for four years at the beginning of the twentieth century — and it could happen again.
  3. Gigi

    • Origin:

      French diminutive

    • Description:

      Joining the likes of Coco and Fifi, Gigi has a style but some may feel it lacks substance. Model and TV personality Gigi Hadid (born Jelena) has likely drawn attention to this name, while designer Cynthia Rowley may have inspired parents to use it as a given name by choosing it for her daughter.
  4. Mimi

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Mary, Miriam, and others

    • Description:

      Sweet, nicknamey name belonging to the tragic heroines of both La Bohème and Rent. Mimi might feel too slight for many parents to use on the birth certificate, but as a short form, it's one of the cutest of the cute baby names.
  5. Pip

    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Philip

    • Meaning:

      "lover of horses"

    • Description:

      The original Pip was the main character in Great Expectations (full name Philip Pirrip). Cute for a tike, maybe too cute for an adult.
  6. Bunny

    • Origin:

      Animal name or English diminutive of Berenice, Greek

    • Meaning:

      "she who brings victory"

    • Description:

      Bunny may be adorable, but is it really enough of a name for your daughter? Plus if Buffy is fluffy, what would that make Bunny?
  7. Peaches

    • Origin:

      English fruit name

    • Description:

      Unlike the other fruit names that are just coming onto the baby name menu, Peaches is an old-timey nickname previously reserved for spangled showgirls, and now would be considered an outrageous -- verging on hip -- choice. Or perhaps it was, until 2023, when it entered the UK Top 1000, not sounding too out of place beside other 2023 favorites, Honey, Blossom, Sage, Halo, and Dolly.
  8. Nona

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "ninth"

    • Description:

      Nona is a name sometimes given to the ninth child -- but unlikely to serve that purpose today. Musical cred: the name of a song by Motley Crue.
  9. Bebe

    • Origin:

      English diminutive of Beatrice or any other B name

    • Description:

      High-kicking cohort of Coco, Gigi, Fifi, Kiki, et al.
  10. Babs

    • Origin:

      Nickname for Barbara or Babette

    • Meaning:

      "foreign woman"

    • Description:

      Babs is an old-fashioned nickname for Barbara, itself an old-fashioned name that was hugely popular in the 20th century but that's not (yet) on its way back in. If you really want a vintage-y nickname name with a lot of attitude that bucks the current friends, go for Babs instead of Betty or Bea.
  11. Bibi

    • Origin:

      French, Persian, or diminutive of Bibiana

    • Meaning:

      "toy; delight; lady of the house; life"

    • Description:

      A spunky nickname name for parents with showbiz aspirations for their daughter.
  12. Oma

    • Description:

      Oma is a feminine name with Germanic origins, literally meaning 'grandmother' in German and Dutch. The name carries warm associations of maternal wisdom and familial nurturing. While primarily known as a term of endearment for grandmothers in German-speaking countries, Oma has occasionally been used as a given name in the United States, particularly in communities with German heritage. The name peaked in limited popularity in the early 1900s but has since become quite rare as a first name. Oma also appears in Japanese, meaning 'horse,' and in some African languages with various meanings. The name's brevity and soft sounds give it a gentle quality, though its strong association with grandmotherhood in German culture may influence how the name is perceived.

  13. Banana

    • Origin:

      Word name, English from Spanish and Portuguese

    • Meaning:

      "banana"

    • Description:

      Banana is one fruity name we wouldn't recommend. Pick Plum instead. There is a Japanese novelist whose pen name is Banana Yoshimoto--birth name Mahoko.
  14. GRAMS
    • Yaya
      • Bubbe
        • Babsy
          • Popi
            • Papaya
              • Chief

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