Telugu relationship names
Telugu has a different word for almost every relative: your father’s older brother and his younger brother are not the same, and neither is your mother’s sister. This chart shows what to call each one, in Telugu script and in English letters, whether you grew up in Hyderabad or Houston.
How Telugu relationship names work
- Father’s side and mother’s side are named differently. Your father’s parents and your mother’s parents have their own words.
- Older and younger matter. Older and younger siblings, and your parents’ older and younger brothers, have different names.
- Cousins come in two kinds. Children of your father’s brother or your mother’s sister are called like brothers and sisters. Children of your father’s sister or your mother’s brother have their own names.
- A man and a woman can call the same relative differently, especially in-laws and a brother’s or sister’s children, so the chart comes in two versions.
If you are a man
Parents and grandparents
Your father’s parents and your mother’s parents have different names.
| Your relative | In Telugu | In English letters |
|---|---|---|
| Father | నాన్న / తండ్రి | Nanna / Tandri |
| Mother | అమ్మ / తల్లి | Amma / Talli |
| Father’s father | తాతయ్య / తాత | Thatayya / Thata |
| Father’s mother | నాయనమ్మ / మామ్మ | Nayanamma / Mamma |
| Mother’s father | తాతయ్య | Thatayya |
| Mother’s mother | అమ్మమ్మ | Ammamma |
| Father’s father’s father | ముత్తాత | Muttata |
| Father’s father’s mother | ముత్తవ్వ | Muttavva |
Brothers and sisters
Telugu uses a different word for an older and a younger sibling.
| Your relative | In Telugu | In English letters |
|---|---|---|
| Older brother | అన్న | Anna |
| Older sister | అక్క | Akka |
| Younger brother | తమ్ముడు | Thammudu |
| Younger sister | చెల్లి | Chelli |
| Older brother’s wife | వదిన | Vadina |
| Older sister’s husband | బావ | Bava |
| Younger brother’s wife | మరదలు | Maradalu |
| Younger sister’s husband | బావ | Bava |
Your father’s side
Your father’s older brother and younger brother are called by different words.
| Your relative | In Telugu | In English letters |
|---|---|---|
| Father’s older brother | పెద్దనాన్న | Peddananna |
| Father’s older brother’s wife | పెద్దమ్మ | Peddamma |
| Father’s younger brother | బాబాయ్ | Babai |
| Father’s younger brother’s wife | పిన్ని | Pinni |
| Father’s older sister | మేనత్త | Menattha |
| Father’s older sister’s husband | మామయ్య | Mamayya |
| Father’s younger sister | మేనత్త | Menattha |
| Father’s younger sister’s husband | మామయ్య | Mamayya |
Your mother’s side
| Your relative | In Telugu | In English letters |
|---|---|---|
| Mother’s older brother | మేనమామ | Menamama |
| Mother’s younger brother | మేనమామ | Menamama |
| Mother’s older sister | పెద్దమ్మ | Peddamma |
| Mother’s younger sister | పిన్ని | Pinni |
Cousins
The children of your father’s brother or your mother’s sister are your “parallel” cousins and are called like brothers and sisters. The children of your father’s sister or your mother’s brother are your “cross” cousins, who have their own names (and in many families are the traditional match for a marriage).
| Your relative | In Telugu | In English letters |
|---|---|---|
| Son of father’s older brother (older than you) | అన్న | Anna |
| Daughter of father’s older brother (younger than you) | చెల్లి | Chelli |
| Son of father’s younger brother (older than you) | అన్న | Anna |
| Daughter of father’s younger brother (younger than you) | చెల్లి | Chelli |
| Son of mother’s older sister (older than you) | అన్న | Anna |
| Daughter of mother’s older sister (younger than you) | చెల్లి | Chelli |
| Son of father’s older sister (older than you) | బావ | Bava |
| Daughter of father’s older sister (younger than you) | మరదలు | Maradalu |
| Son of mother’s older brother (older than you) | బావ | Bava |
| Daughter of mother’s older brother (younger than you) | మరదలు | Maradalu |
Your wife’s or husband’s family
| Your relative | In Telugu | In English letters |
|---|---|---|
| Wife | భార్య | Bharya |
| Wife’s father | మామగారు / మామ | Mamagaru / Mama |
| Wife’s mother | అత్తయ్య / అత్త | Attayya / Atta |
| Wife’s older brother | బావ | Bava |
| Wife’s younger brother | మరిది | Maridi |
| Wife’s younger sister | మరదలు | Maradalu |
| Wife’s younger sister’s husband | తోడల్లుడు | Thodalludu |
Children, nephews, nieces and grandchildren
| Your relative | In Telugu | In English letters |
|---|---|---|
| Son | కుమారుడు / కొడుకు | Kumarudu / Koduku |
| Daughter | కుమార్తె / కూతురు | Kumarte / Kuthuru |
| Son’s wife | కోడలు | Kodalu |
| Daughter’s husband | అల్లుడు | Alludu |
| Son’s son | మనవడు | Manavadu |
| Son’s daughter | మనవరాలు | Manavaralu |
| Daughter’s son | మనవడు | Manavadu |
| Daughter’s daughter | మనవరాలు | Manavaralu |
| Brother’s son | కొడుకు | Koduku |
| Brother’s daughter | కూతురు | Koothuru |
| Sister’s son | మేనల్లుడు | Menalludu |
| Sister’s daughter | మేనకోడలు | Menakodalu |
If you are a woman
Parents and grandparents
Your father’s parents and your mother’s parents have different names.
| Your relative | In Telugu | In English letters |
|---|---|---|
| Father | నాన్న / తండ్రి | Nanna / Tandri |
| Mother | అమ్మ / తల్లి | Amma / Talli |
| Father’s father | తాతయ్య / తాత | Thatayya / Thata |
| Father’s mother | నాయనమ్మ / మామ్మ | Nayanamma / Mamma |
| Mother’s father | తాతయ్య | Thatayya |
| Mother’s mother | అమ్మమ్మ | Ammamma |
| Father’s father’s father | ముత్తాత | Muttata |
| Father’s father’s mother | ముత్తవ్వ | Muttavva |
Brothers and sisters
Telugu uses a different word for an older and a younger sibling.
| Your relative | In Telugu | In English letters |
|---|---|---|
| Older brother | అన్న | Anna |
| Older sister | అక్క | Akka |
| Younger brother | తమ్ముడు | Thammudu |
| Younger sister | చెల్లి | Chelli |
| Older brother’s wife | వదిన | Vadina |
| Older sister’s husband | బావ | Bava |
| Younger brother’s wife | మరదలు | Maradalu |
| Younger sister’s husband | బావ | Bava |
Your father’s side
Your father’s older brother and younger brother are called by different words.
| Your relative | In Telugu | In English letters |
|---|---|---|
| Father’s older brother | పెద్దనాన్న | Peddananna |
| Father’s older brother’s wife | పెద్దమ్మ | Peddamma |
| Father’s younger brother | బాబాయ్ | Babai |
| Father’s younger brother’s wife | పిన్ని | Pinni |
| Father’s older sister | మేనత్త | Menattha |
| Father’s older sister’s husband | మామయ్య | Mamayya |
| Father’s younger sister | మేనత్త | Menattha |
| Father’s younger sister’s husband | మామయ్య | Mamayya |
Your mother’s side
| Your relative | In Telugu | In English letters |
|---|---|---|
| Mother’s older brother | మేనమామ | Menamama |
| Mother’s younger brother | మేనమామ | Menamama |
| Mother’s older sister | పెద్దమ్మ | Peddamma |
| Mother’s younger sister | పిన్ని | Pinni |
Cousins
The children of your father’s brother or your mother’s sister are your “parallel” cousins and are called like brothers and sisters. The children of your father’s sister or your mother’s brother are your “cross” cousins, who have their own names (and in many families are the traditional match for a marriage).
| Your relative | In Telugu | In English letters |
|---|---|---|
| Son of father’s older brother (older than you) | అన్న | Anna |
| Daughter of father’s older brother (younger than you) | చెల్లి | Chelli |
| Son of father’s younger brother (older than you) | అన్న | Anna |
| Daughter of father’s younger brother (younger than you) | చెల్లి | Chelli |
| Son of mother’s older sister (older than you) | అన్న | Anna |
| Daughter of mother’s older sister (younger than you) | చెల్లి | Chelli |
| Son of father’s older sister (older than you) | బావ | Bava |
| Daughter of father’s older sister (younger than you) | మరదలు | Maradalu |
| Son of mother’s older brother (older than you) | బావ | Bava |
| Daughter of mother’s older brother (younger than you) | మరదలు | Maradalu |
Your wife’s or husband’s family
| Your relative | In Telugu | In English letters |
|---|---|---|
| Husband | భర్త / మగడు | Bharta / Magadu |
| Husband’s father | మామగారు / మామ | Mamagaru / Mama |
| Husband’s mother | అత్తయ్య / అత్త | Attayya / Atta |
| Husband’s older brother | బావ | Bava |
| Husband’s older brother’s wife | తోడికోడలు | Thodikodalu |
| Husband’s younger brother | మరిది | Maridi |
| Husband’s younger sister | ఆడపడుచు | Adapaduchu |
Children, nephews, nieces and grandchildren
| Your relative | In Telugu | In English letters |
|---|---|---|
| Son | కుమారుడు / కొడుకు | Kumarudu / Koduku |
| Daughter | కుమార్తె / కూతురు | Kumarte / Kuthuru |
| Son’s wife | కోడలు | Kodalu |
| Daughter’s husband | అల్లుడు | Alludu |
| Son’s son | మనవడు | Manavadu |
| Son’s daughter | మనవరాలు | Manavaralu |
| Daughter’s son | మనవడు | Manavadu |
| Daughter’s daughter | మనవరాలు | Manavaralu |
| Brother’s son | మేనల్లుడు | Menalludu |
| Brother’s daughter | మేనకోడలు | Menakodalu |
| Sister’s son | కొడుకు | Koduku |
| Sister’s daughter | కూతురు | Koothuru |
Common questions
What is the difference between Peddananna and Babai?
Both are your father’s brothers. Peddananna is his older brother and Babai is his younger brother. Their wives are Peddamma (older brother’s wife) and Pinni (younger brother’s wife).
What do I call my father’s sister?
Menattha, whether she is older or younger than your father. Her husband is Mamayya.
What do I call my mother’s brother?
Menamama, often shortened to Mama. His children are your “cross” cousins, who have their own names (see the Cousins table).
What is the difference between Peddamma and Pinni?
Peddamma is the older one and Pinni the younger one. Both words are used for your mother’s sisters and for your father’s brothers’ wives, with the older or younger one deciding the word.
Do these names change between Andhra, Telangana and other places?
Yes. Families, regions and communities say some of these differently, and the English spelling of Telugu words varies. Where a family uses either of two words, the chart shows both with a slash (/). Treat this chart as a starting point, and follow what your own family says.
Keep your own family’s names in one place
Our Lineage is a private family tree. Open any two people and it shows how they are related and what to call each other, in English and in Telugu, and it brings faded family photographs back on your own device. The demo is an invented family you can explore.