What does nanna mean?
Nanna is an informal word for grandmother, particularly a maternal grandmother. It is especially familiar in British and South Asian English, where it can suggest affection and family tradition, though its precise use varies among communities. A speaker might say that a grandmother taught them to cook, that she lives nearby, or that her home is associated with comfort and celebration. In older usage, especially in Britain, nanna also referred to a knitted or crocheted bonnet or hood worn by a baby. The word is related to other informal forms such as nana, nannie, nanny, granny, and grandma, but nanna is particularly associated with British and South Asian family speech. It is conversational rather than formal, and its presence in a sentence often conveys personal warmth as well as a straightforward family relationship.
An informal term for a grandmother, especially a maternal grandmother.
"I called my nanna every Sunday afternoon."
Chiefly used in British and South Asian English; more informal than grandmother.
A knitted or crocheted bonnet or hood worn by an infant.
"She pulled the woollen nanna down over the baby's ears."
This sense is traditional and now uncommon.
The plural is used when referring to more than one grandmother or to several people serving as grandmothers in a family.
"Both nannas came to the family reunion."
In British and South Asian families, nanna often carries the warmth of a familiar, home-cooked childhood memory.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does nanna come from?
Nanna is a variant of nana, an informal term for a grandmother that occurs in several European languages. Its precise historical development is uncertain, but the word became established in British English and was widely adopted in South Asian English. The related form nannie also developed as a familiar variant, while the separate occupational word nanny came to mean a children's carer.
How nanna is actually used
Nanna is informal and especially common in British, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and other South Asian English varieties. In some South Asian families it may refer specifically to the mother's mother. Its use for a baby's bonnet is more traditional and is now uncommon.
Easily confused with nanna
Both are informal terms for a grandmother, but nanna is especially common in British and South Asian English, while nana is more widely used in North American English.
Nanna usually refers to a grandmother, whereas nanny refers to a woman employed to care for children.