'Sounded More Youthful in Italian': Mel...

Melinda French Gates is sharing what she asked her granddaughter to call her — and it's not what one might expect

Published Time: 25.07.2024 - 18:31:09 Modified Time: 25.07.2024 - 18:31:09

Melinda French Gates is sharing what she asked her granddaughter to call her — and it's not what one might expect.

Appearing on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the philanthropist, 59, was asked about her granddaughter Leila, the daughter of her daughter Jennifer, 28. "My grandma name is Nonna," French Gates shared.

"Oh! Are you guys Italian?" Stephen Colbert asked.

"No!" the proud nonna responded. "And that's what my kids say, 'Mom, how did that name come up?'"

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"Are you good with that?" Colbert asked. "Yeah, I love it. My siblings picked it and I thought, 'That's great!' " French Gates replied.

When Colbert asked if the grandchild was supposed to pick the grandma name, French Gates noted that her granddaughter, whom daughter Jen -

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nifer welcomed in March 2023, was too young to decide.

"I wanted something that started youthful and I don't know...it sounded more youthful in Italian," French Gates joked.

On Valentine's Day this year, French Gates shared a sweet photo to her Instagram in celebration of the winter holiday. French Gates posed next to mom Elaine and daughter Jennifer, while Elaine held Jennifer's baby daughter Leila, who had recently celebrated her first birthday.

"A few of my favorite Valentines 🥰," French Gates wrote in her caption.

French Gates and ex-husband Bill Gates are set to become grandparents again after daughter Jennifer announced in June that she's expecting her second baby with husband Nayel Nassar.

The expecting mom shared the news onInstagram, sharing a photo where she cradled her bump in a blue dress with Leila holding one of her hands.

"Leila, being promoted to big sister 💕," she captioned the photo.