Pet Names

[Stiger05]

I'm writing some romantic scenes and paused mid-way through a sentence because I didn't know what the LI would call my MC. She already goes by a nickname and I want/need him to call her something tender and sweet. Do teens still use pet names for their significant other? Are they used in YA? I haven't seen it much in the books I've read, but I haven't really paid attention to that specifically, so it could be something I just glossed over.

I do hear "baby" a lot from the teens I know, but there's just something about that term that drives me crazy, so I can't bring myself to use it. Nor does it fit the character, so I can get away with that, ha! (No offense to folks in here who may be called "baby." I had an ex who used it, so maybe that's my problem?).

"Honey" is too mature.

"Sweetie" is too childish. It sounds more like something a girl would call her friend.

"Sweetheart" fits my character, but I'm not sold on it. It still feels a bit mature.

So, I'm considering just "babe" as a sort of middle ground.

What are some other pet names? What have you seen? Or do teens not do this much?

 

[Terri]

As an eighteen-year-old, I call my boyfriend 'babe' somewhat often. It's the only pet name I'll use in public, because 'baby' and 'sweetheart' and such embarrass me way too much. I do use them, but only when we're alone or he's done something exceptionally sweet. 'Love' is another one that gets occasional use. Sometimes even just 'boy' of I feel like attempting to be cute.

I think 'babe' is the most common term I hear my friends using. Also 'boo,' but more in the "d'aaaw, my boo did this/that!" sense.

 

[KateSmash]

Most of the usual pet names make me cringe. Something about calling the person you supposedly love a saccharine sweet name full of cheese just doesn't seem very loving to me. Especially since a lot of pet names (like baby) tend to be diminutive. Food pet names might even be worse. *shudder*

That said, I did hear it a lot when I was a teenager. I don't see it changing much in the last ten years. But I very rarely heard it from guys in NY, and when I moved to NC it seemed to only be sugar, sweetheart, babe, baby, and baby doll. If the guy used a pet name at all.

You could make it something particular to the characters. Maybe your LI is the type of person to riff on your MC's name. For example: I use pet names on my husband, Rory. He becomes Rorz, Rorzilla, Ropo, Ropeadope, Rory Povich (we're fans of bad tv, ok?), etc.

Or not. But I do think it would work best if it's something unique to the character. Get a little characterization in there at the same time. Or not use one at all if the LI isn't the type of guy to come up with one on the fly. I doubt anyone will notice.

 

[totopink]

I always turn positive adjectives into pet names.

"Lovely, can you pass the milk?"
"What are you up to, Handsome?"
"See you later, Gorgeous."

 

[JSDR]

I've always called my significant others pet names that meant something special between us. Like in HS, we had to read a book for class with a character named "Beeble" (can't remember name of book) so i called my SO "Beeb". It was nice because every time I said the name, it was like an inside joke and made us feel closer.

Generic pet names in books usually get an eyeroll from me because they 1. don't really add anything to a scene and 2. don't really develop characterization.

 

[Anninyn]

I don't know about these modern teens with their smartphones and their loud music, but when I was a teenager I called everyone by pet-names, not just my squeeze of the week.

But I tended to make them individual, rather than the standard 'honey' or 'sweet'. Often based on their name or something they liked to do. I carried this on to my long-term relationships.
A list:

Sash
Sascha-palooza
Laurentastic
Laureniraptor
Josmonster
Jos the dickhead (no, really, it's affectionate)
Josface
Josalicious
Pumpkin (when I'm trying to annoy people)
Mutant freakface
Tits titface of the enormous tits
El
R'as El boob
Minny
MinMin mimimimin
Minface
Fartybum
Beardyface
Awkwardbeard
Sweet Beardy Prince
carbobeard
fallygirl

And others. I think it's more fun and seems more personal and real if he bases it on her, on something she likes to do or a personality of physical quirk rather than a standard.

For example, not yet, but much later in my WIP the lead male starts calling the female MC 'Prickle' because she's very prickly. It's a sign their relationship has moved into a zone where they feel comofrtable around each other and are actually friends now.

 

[Sage]

I love "babe," as a pet name. And I really love hearing "boo" because it's so cute, but I don't know how easy it would come across in a novel.

If I were calling a sig other "babe," though, I would almost always change it to "babes." That's what I did the voice game all the time. Also when I give people nicknames, I usually add an S to the end, lol

 

[Stiger05]

Thanks guys!

There's a little difficulty playing off the MC's name: Dot. Her dad calls her Polka-Dot, but that's kind of their thing. I'll chew on it a bit and see if I can come up with something that fits the scene.

I've never been good at pet names (although I do call my hubby Honey Bear. It's an inside thing...don't look at me...)

 

[missesdash]

Another one for "babe." I hear it all the time.

I think beyond that and a few of the more basic southern pet names (honey, sweetie, etc), it depends on personality. It takes a very specific type of person (teen or otherwise) to call someone "sugar bunny" or anything like that. My mom calls my sister "pudding cups" and it is just really goofy.

My SO called me "petite poussin" which is french for those little baby chickens haha.



ETA: I've heard people named Dot called "Dotty"

 

[Anninyn]

Thanks guys!

There's a little difficulty playing off the MC's name: Dot. Her dad calls her Polka-Dot, but that's kind of their thing. I'll chew on it a bit and see if I can come up with something that fits the scene.

I've never been good at pet names (although I do call my hubby Honey Bear. It's an inside thing...don't look at me...)

Well, I'd call her one of these depending on what she was like/wanted to do.

Dotface
Dot the I's
Dotty
Dotterly
Dotzy
Dot in the Machine
Dotter

 

[Windcutter]

I mostly see two pet names in YA:

babe
- usually from a jock boyfriend who doesn't appreciate MC's feminist tendencies

love
- from Spike wannabees and other bad boys with a British accent

 

[sadbeautifultragic]

I hate "sweetheart" with a passion. A PASSION.

I like babes. I saw "sweets" in a YA book I read a few years ago and it annoyed me at first but fit the characters. "Dotty" works. My best friend calls me "babycakes" and I like that one a lot, mostly because it's really adorable. So adorable in fact that I think my MC calls his boyfriend babycakes like... I don't know. Many times throughout the WIP so far.

Hope I helped!

 

[KateSmash]

There's a little difficulty playing off the MC's name: Dot.

How about Princess Angelina Contessa Louisa Francesca Banana Fana Bo Becsa III? Whatever you do, don't call her Dotty. Call her Dotty and you die.

Yes, I just revealed my age to the whole world and that fact that I may or may not have been watching my Animaniacs DVDs.

 

[Becca C.]

I absolutely cannot stand "babe." If anyone ever calls me that, ever (luckily no one does), they will die.

I never really use pet names on people I don't know really, really well. I'm not one for calling random people "sweetie" or "dear." I have weird nicknames for my sister (Beans, Beana, Beana Weena, Weens, the list goes on) but that's just cuz she's my sister and it annoys her.

The only person I call a pet name besides my sister is a guy I work with named Chad. I call him Chadling. Super random.

 

[wampuscat]

I've heard a few "ness" pet names, like cuteness, sweetness, etc.

 

[Pinguicha]

I absolutely cannot stand "babe." If anyone ever calls me that, ever (luckily no one does), they will die.

Me too. Once, this guy I was seeing called me that and I gave him my most muderous, offended look and told him to never call me that again. Ever.

I generally hate petnames and only use them frequently with my cat. "Love" and "cutchi" (a Portuguese word for cute and cuddly) and "cuteness". Sometimes I call my boyfriend "love" too, but that's generally when he's mad and I need him to calm down.

 

[Becca C.]

Ahh, forgot about my dog XD I'm ridiculous with the pet names for my dog, Jimmy. Jimmison, James, Joomy, Yoomy, Yoman, Yüümen (my brother made up the spelling, don't even ask)... *sigh* I think I'm crazy.

But then, those are literally pet names

 

[eparadysz]

Me too. Once, this guy I was seeing called me that and I gave him my most muderous, offended look and told him to never call me that again. Ever.

I generally hate petnames and only use them frequently with my cat. "Love" and "cutchi" (a Portuguese word for cute and cuddly) and "cuteness". Sometimes I call my boyfriend "love" too, but that's generally when he's mad and I need him to calm down.

I was going to say that pet names used by a couple in a book would generally make my skin crawl, but the bolded part would actually be a good characterization technique (meaning for a character to use a name only in certain circumstances, especially emotionally charged ones).

 

[missesdash]

I absolutely cannot stand "babe." If anyone ever calls me that, ever (luckily no one does), they will die.

I never really use pet names on people I don't know really, really well. I'm not one for calling random people "sweetie" or "dear." I have weird nicknames for my sister (Beans, Beana, Beana Weena, Weens, the list goes on) but that's just cuz she's my sister and it annoys her.

The only person I call a pet name besides my sister is a guy I work with named Chad. I call him Chadling. Super random.

I'm so embarrassed because I hated babe until I started using it. I tried so many other things, but it's the only one that stuck with my current SO.

I've crossed over to the dark side.

 

[Stelle]

My husband and I use "babe" all the time. And I like it! But sometimes I'm embarrassed when he uses it in public, because I know there are a bajillion people who think it's cheesy and/or lame and/or insulting and/or diminutive. I'm a proud-and-loud feminist. But it makes me smile when my husband calls me baby girl. Hmmmm...I guess that makes me a three-dimensional character. Ha!

In fiction, though, I'm not crazy about pet names. I like the idea of something more specific to the characters.

 

[Jehhillenberg]

I'm with Sage on the topic. "Babe" and "baby" just come naturally -- for me at least and the people I know. I like those and they work! I don't really consider them pet-names; more of terms of endearment...if there's a solid difference.

"Sweetheart" always felt more familiar to a parent-child relationship; like I've often heard with a dad and daughter. "Honey" does sound mature.


Btw: I think "Polka-Dot" is so cute.

 

[Windcutter]

We forgot about "darling" xd
Ah, and I know a person who calls her boyfriend "my precious"--nope, not a fan of Tolkien.

 

[DrunkenLilacs]

Another one for "babe." I think it's the most casual thing to say? My best friend calls his girlfriend a baby-fied version of her last name, which is pretty cute. "Cutie" can work, I think, if the situation's light and fluffy. My boyfriend calls me "Bebe" and I didn't like it at first, but you get used to these things.

But babe or any variation of that will probably fit nicely.

 

[Smiley0501]

In one of my WIPs, the ex-LI calls the main character "Hayleigh Bird" or "Birdy". He used to call her that when they were together and he still does out of habit. She hates it

Generally though my characters don't have nicknames/pet names for each other. I guess it depends on the people. (Like in real life lol)

 

[Mclesh]

Add me to the list for "babe." In my rom-com, my MC and her husband refer to each other back and forth as "babe." It feels natural to me and just seems to work.

In my YA, the boy the MC has a thing for calls her "beautiful." It fits him. He's a sweetie.

In real life, I call people honey, sweetie. I can't help it. Sorry.