International Grandfather Names

Check out what grandfathers are called in dozens of languages.

By The Editors

iStockphoto

international grandfather names

Aborigine
Australian Formal - Maili
Australian Paternal - Waayamaa
Australian Maternal - Garrimaay
Polynesian Maori dialect - Tipuna Tane

African
Berber dialect - Tamazight
Botswanan - Ntatemogolo
Shona dialect - Sekuru
Swahili - Babu
Venda dialect - Mmakhulu
Xhosa dialect - Utat'omkhulu
Zulu dialect - Ubabamkhulu

Afrikaans - Oupa

Albanian - Babagjysh

American Indian
Cherokee - Agiduda, E-du-di
Cheyenne - Shi'choo
Eskimo, Inupiaq dialect - Ataataga
Navajo (maternal) - Chei
Navajo (paternal) - Nali'
Ojibway - Mishomis

Arabic
Formal - Jadd
Informal - Seedo

Armenian - Papik

Basque - Aitona

Belarusen - Dzied

Breton - Tad-Kozh

Cajun - PawPaw

Catalan - Aviah

Chinese
Cantonese Paternal - Yeh Yeh
Cantonese Maternal - Gong Gong
Mandarin Paternal - YeYe
Mandarin Maternal - Wai Gong

Croatian - Djed

Danish
Formal - Bedstefader
Paternal - Farfar
Maternal - Morfar

Dutch - Grootvader

Esperanto - Avo

Estonian - Vanaisahttp

Farsi - Pedaer Bozorg

Filipino, Cebuano
Formal - Apohang lalaki
Informal - Lolo

Finnish - Isoisa, Ukki, Vaari

Flemish - Bonpahttp

French
Formal - Grand-père
Informal - Pépère
SemiFormal - Grand-papa

Galician - Avo

Georgian - Babu

German
Formal - Grossvader
Informal - Opa

Greek - Pappous

Guarani, South America - Aba

Hawaiian
Formal - Kupuna Kane
Informal - Tutu Kane

Hebrew - Saba

Hungarian
Formal - Nagyapa
Informal - Tata

Icelandic - Afi

India
Bengali Paternal - Dadu
Bengali Maternal - Nanu
Hindi - Daa-daa-jee
Southwestern - Ajja
Urdu Paternal - Daadaa
Urdu Maternal - Daadi

Indonesian - Petulu

Irish/Gaelic
Formal - Seanathair
Informal - Daidoe, Daddo

Italian - Nonno

Japanese
Formal - Ojiisan, Sofu
(one's own grandfather)
Informal - Sofu

Korean - Halabeoji

Latvian - Vectevas

Lebanese - Jid

Lithuanian - Senelis

Malagasy - Babakoto

Maltese - Nannu

Norwegian - Bestefar
Paternal - Farfar
Maternal - Morfar

Polish
Formal - Dziadek
Informal - Dziadzio

Portuguese - Avo

Romanian - Bunic, Bunicut

Russian - Dedushka

Sanskrit
Paternal - Pitaamaha
Maternal - Maataamaha

Serbian - Deda

Slovakian - Dedek, Dedi

Slovenian - Ded

Spanish
Formal - Abuelo
Informal Diminutive - Abuelito, Tito, Lito

Swedish
Paternal - Farfar
Maternal - Morfar

Swiss - Grosspapi

Syrian - Jidu

Tamil - Thatha

Thai
Paternal - Bpoo
Maternal - Dtaa

Turkish - Dede, Buyukbaba

Turkmen - Baba

Ukranian
Formal - Dadju
Informal - Gigi

Uzbek - Bobo, Doda

Vietnamese
Formal - Ong
Informal - Ong Noi

Welsh
Southern - Taidie
Northern - Tad-cu, Taid

Yiddish - Zaide, Zeydeh, Zeyde, Zeide, Zede

for grandmothers:

Traditional | Trendy | Playful | International

for grandfathers:

Traditional | Trendy | Playful | International

Go back to the main page »