What do you call your grandma and grandpa?
These Are the Most Popular Grandparent Nicknames in Every State
Published on Apr. 29, 2025
There are few bonds more sacred than the relationship between a grandparent and grandchild. Grandparents pass down family recipes, traditions and life lessons that only they can teach, while grandchildren keep the older generation young and active. And though it’s traditional for grandchildren to refer to their grandparents as Grandma and Grandpa, over time plenty of other affectionate nicknames have emerged all across the country.
From Abuela to Pop-Pop, and Granny to Pawpaw, people use countless unique terms of endearment in place of the old-school nicknames, including many in different languages. But did you know that where you live might influence what you call your grandparents?
Keep reading to find out which grandparent nicknames are the most popular in the country, and see if your preferred nicknames match up with the most popular in your state.
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How were the most popular grandparent nicknames determined?
It took more than just one survey to find out the most popular grandparent nicknames in each state. Data collected from surveys by Coventry Direct, Chicco and Preply were used to develop insights that shed light on the most popular grandparent nicknames in the United States. Combined, the surveys collected responses from more than 9,000 Americans from all over the nation. The data spans several years, from 2019 to 2024, so it takes into consideration how grandparent nicknames may vary in popularity slightly from one year to the next.
What are the overall most popular nicknames for grandparents?
Once upon a time, Grandma and Grandpa might have been the most popular nicknames for grandparents, but not anymore. Nowadays, the most popular nicknames grandchildren have for their grandparents are Nana and Papa. There are also plenty of variations on these beloved terms of endearment, but those are the two that come out on top across the country.
What are the most popular nicknames for grandparents by state?
Different parts of the country often have different ways of speaking or phrases and words that are unique to the region or state. So it only makes sense that the most popular nickname for grandparents varies from state to state! Check out this list to find out which nicknames are the most popular in your home state:
- Alabama: Mamaw, Granny / Pawpaw, Granddad, Pop
- Alaska: Abuela, Granny / Papa
- Arizona: Nana, Abuela / Papa, Granddad, Gramps
- Arkansas: Mamaw, Grammy / Pawpaw, Papa
- California: Nana, Abuela / Papa, Granddad, Abuelo
- Colorado: Nana, Grammy / Papa, Granddad
- Connecticut: Nana, Grammy / Papa, Granddad
- Delaware: Mom mom / Pop, Pop-pop
- Florida: Nana, Granny / Papa, Abuelo
- Georgia: Nana / Papa, Granddad
- Hawaii: Nana / Pop, Pop-pop
- Iowa: Nana, Grandmama / Papa
- Idaho: Nana, Grandmother / Papa, Granddad
- Illinois: Nana / Papa
- Indiana: Mamaw, Meemaw / Papaw, Gramps, Grampy, Granddad
- Kansas: Nana, Grammy / Papa, Pawpaw
- Kentucky: Mamaw, Granny / Papaw, Pawpaw
- Louisiana: Mawmaw, Granny / Pawpaw
- Maine: Grammy, Gram / Gramps, Grampy, Papa
- Maryland: Mom-mom / Pop, Pop-pop
- Massachusetts: Nana / Papa, Dedushka
- Michigan: Nana / Papa, Granddad
- Minnesota: Nana, Grans / Papa, Pop-pop
- Mississippi: Mamaw, Granny / Pawpaw, Papaw, Granddad
- Missouri: Nana, Grammy / Papa, Pop-pop
- Montana: Nana / Papa
- Nebraska: Nana, Grammy / Granddad, Opa
- Nevada: Nana / Granddad, Abuelo
- New Hampshire: Grammy, Gram / Papa
- New Jersey: Nana, Bubbe / Pop, Pop-pop
- New Mexico: Grams, Oma / Papa, Abuelo
- New York: Nana, Nanny, Ma-ma / Papa, Pop, Pop-pop
- North Carolina: Nana, Grammy / Papa, Granddad
- North Dakota: Nana / Papa
- Ohio: Mamaw, Nana / Papa, Papaw
- Oklahoma: Nana, Granny, Nanny / Papa
- Oregon: Nana, Nanny / Papa, Granddad
- Pennsylvania: Mom-mom, Nana, Oma / Pop, Pop-pop
- Rhode Island: Nana, Granny / Papa, Grandfather
- South Carolina: Nana, Granny / Papa, Granddad
- South Dakota: Nana / Papa
- Tennessee: Nana, Granny / Papaw, Granddad
- Texas: Nana, Mimi / Papa
- Utah: Nana, Grammy / Papa
- Vermont: Grammy / Papa, Pop-pop
- Virginia: Nana, Granny, Grandmother / Papa, Granddad
- Washington: Nana, Gram / Papa, Pop, Pop-pop, Gramps
- West Virginia: Mawmaw, Meemaw, Nana / Pawpaw
- Wisconsin: Nana, Grammy, Mamaw / Pawpaw
- Wyoming: Nana, Gram / Papa
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Sources:
- Chicco: “Most Popular Grandparent Names in Every State”
- Preply: “Revealed: The Most Popular Grandparent Nicknames in Every State”
- Coventry Direct: “The Most Popular Grandparent Name in Every State”
- Parents: “From Nana to PopPop, These Are the Most Common Grandparent Nicknames in Each State”
