Nana
/ˈnæn.ə/noun
An informal term for one’s grandmother.
Did you know?Unlike words inherited from ancient languages, “nana” is generally considered a nursery-language formation, probably modeled on the repeated syllables children easily pronounce.
Etymological Timeline
Nursery speech
Child language
na-na
“A reduplicated syllable easily produced by infants; not a documented ancient root”
18th Century
English
nanny
“A child’s word for a nurse or caregiver, later also a grandmother”
Early 19th Century
English
nan
“An informal term for grandmother”
Mid-19th Century
American English
nana
“A familiar term for grandmother, likely formed through nursery speech and variation from nan”
Modern English
English
nana
“An informal name for one’s grandmother”