Cute and Funny Nicknames for Grandparents (Besides Grandma and Grandpa)

What are cool names for grandpa that aren't Grandpa?

Papa, Pop-Pop, Pappy, Gramps and Papaw are the go-to grandpa names, and playful picks like Funpa or Chief suit a grandpa with a big personality. Most of them use simple, repeated sounds, which is why little kids pick them up so fast.

• Papa: simple, warm, and easy for babies to say.
• Pop-Pop, Poppy or Pops: Pop-Pop is the sweet little-kid version, and Pops is a shorter one that suits older kids.
• Pappy: old-fashioned and cozy, common in the South.
• Papaw or Pawpaw: another Southern favorite, the partner name to Mamaw.
• Gramps or Grampy: casual and a little cheeky, great for a grandpa with a dry sense of humor.
• Funpa: in the words of our mug, "Like Grandpa, Just Cooler."
• Chief: for the grandpa who runs the grill, the fishing trips and the family group chat.

A grandpa who loves his name will love seeing it every morning. The My Favorite People Call Me Pappy mug has "MY FAVORITE PEOPLE CALL ME PAPPY" printed on both sides of an 11 oz white ceramic mug. You'll find more names in our grandpa coffee mugs, including the Funpa definition mug and the Best Effin' Papaw Ever mug.

What do other cultures call grandparents?

Many families use the grandparent words from their heritage, which keeps a bit of the family's language alive even when everyone speaks English at home. These names are easy for kids to learn because they hear them from the start. Here are some common ones:

A heritage name works on a gift too. For a Polish grandma, the World's Best Babcia mug puts her name front and center.

How do you choose your grandparent name?

Pick a name that feels like you, is easy for a toddler to say, and doesn't clash with the other grandparents. You'll hear this name thousands of times, so it's worth a little thought. These five steps help:

1. Talk to the baby's parents first. They will say the name every day, so it helps if they like it too.
2. Say it out loud the way a toddler would. Repeated sounds like Mimi, Gigi and Pop-Pop are the easiest for little mouths.
3. Check what the other grandparents picked. Two different names save a lot of confusion later.
4. Think about your roots. Your own grandparents' names or your family's language are a good place to start.
5. Hold it loosely. Your grandchild may rename you anyway, and that's part of the fun.

Plenty of new grandmas feel too young for "Grandma," and that's exactly why names like Gigi and Glamma are so popular. The Best Effin' Gigi Ever mug prints "BEST EFFIN' GIGI EVER" in bold black letters with "EFFIN'" in pink, on an 11 oz white ceramic mug. If she went with Glamma, the pink Glam-ma mug spells out "too young and fabulous to be called Grandma."

What if both grandmas want the same name?

Give each grandma her own name, or add something that tells them apart, like her first name or where she lives. Toddlers can have a hard time telling two "Nanas" apart, so a clear difference helps them know who is who. Here are four ways families handle it:

Often the grandkids settle it themselves. A toddler who can't say "Grammie" may land on "Mimi," and that becomes the name for good.

What if your grandchild makes up a name for you?

Let it stick. A name your grandchild invents is one of the sweetest titles a grandparent can get. Little kids twist long words into short ones, so "Grandma" can turn into "Gaga" and "Grandpa" into "Bop." When the whole family laughs and starts using it, the new name is usually there to stay.

That made-up name shows the bond between you, and it's part of why grandparents are important to kids as they grow up.

How do you make a new grandparent name official?

Use it everywhere: in the baby announcement, on birthday cards, in texts, and on something they use every day, like a coffee mug. The more the family hears it, the faster the baby learns it. Some parents share the pregnancy news with a Promoted to Grandma mug or a Promoted to Grandpa mug, and the name talk starts right there.

A mug with his name on it is an easy birthday or Father's Day gift that he'll use every morning. The Best Pop-Pop Ever mug has "BEST POP-POP EVER" in big black letters on both sides of an 11 oz white ceramic mug that is dishwasher and microwave safe. For an older grandparent who already has every mug, our guide to meaningful gifts for seniors has more ideas.

Whatever you choose, the name will soon mean "the person who loves me most." Once it's settled, the fun part starts: learning how to spoil your grandchildren the right way.