Which are the pet names that you hate and why?

When I first read your question, I thought you were asking about dog and cat names!

Just about any name can be either endearing or insulting, depending on the source, context, and intent. I’ve been called a huge array of things, by people who cared about me and were using the terms affectionately, which is fine. I’ve also had the experience of being called “sweetie” or “dear” in a dismissive, demeaning way, and I wished I could have hauled-off and smacked the speaker.

I don’t think there are any that I specifically hate on their own, but I do dislike when men that I don’t know call me hon, honey, sweetie.

My wife likes it when I call her “doll”, which surprised me. I thought most women would object to it.
My wife likes to call me “handsome”. I have told her not to. I don’t feel I am.

@filmfann I would not discourage her from calling you “handsome!” Good looks, beauty/handsome are so, SO simply “in the eye of the beholder!” You are a lucky guy!

^^ Yup..I agree completely!!

Anything with “muffin” in it.
I hate hearing anyone saying a woman is their bitch. I am my own bitch, and better nobody try to claim that away from me.

All of them. I am no one’s pet.
You will call me “Master”, or you will be punished, brutally.

I don’t hate pet names, but I rarely get them, which makes me feel awkward when someone calls me “darling” “my child/friend” and similar. I’m more relaxed when you just call me by my name.
And pet names are seen as excessive politeness here, which is very frowned upon.

Referring to any woman as a “gal.” It’s sound so demeaning!

^^^ Do you really think so? At least for me, a “gal” is a female “guy.” Although “gal” can have a bit of a World War II feel, I don’t find it the least bit offensive. In fact, I try to use it instead of “girl.”

My husband calls me a lot of pet names. A couple, which I cannot remember, I’m pretty sure I don’t like, but I don’t know what they mean. Lol. When he says them, and I ask what they mean, he tells me to ask his mom. I learned my lesson not to ask his mom early in my marriage, it’s a set up!

I call him “baby” all the time with a slang word in Spanish. He calls me the same. If it were in English I don’t think I’d like it, but in Spanish it’s fine.

I don’t like being called Sweetie. My dad used to use that term when I was little, and it’s not because of that, I just never felt comfortable with that term. I remember asking my dad not to call me Sweetie, and he did stop. I was probably around 11 or 12 at the time when I asked him to stop.

Raise your hand if you’re a fan of “Difficult People,” and if you love Arthur’s pet names for Julie:

Noodles (everyone’s favorite)
Lozenge
Pollen Count
Lava Lamp
Porcupine
Corn Cob
Hydrox
Mouse Pad
Candles
Pencils
Splenda
Thin Mint
Kiddush Cup
Lightbulb
Funnel
Wiffle Bat
Ottoman
Waterbug
Tapshoe
(I’m sure I’m missing some)

My own, wonderfully-creative husband calls me Lor. Yeah, genius never sleeps.

If a girl wants to call herself or other women “gal” that’s her biz. But a guy calling a girl “gal” is like calling her a “broad,” IMB.

The only one that really bothers me is calling a woman a “girl.” A “girl” is a child-age female human… But I guess that’s not really a “pet name” as much as using a term in a way that minor-izes an adult…

Most pet names are weird to me upon further reflection… but I think the practice of pet names as a whole is rather sweet.

@Soubresaut What about using “girlfriends” for friends who are female? I know “girl” bothers a lot of women, so I try not to use it, even though that word is often the one that is natural for me, but now I’m wondering if a woman says girlfriends to describe close friends if that’s offensive too.

A friend of mne (female) refers to women as “gals” often. I don’t mind it but it feels like it’s right out of the 1950’s for some reason.

I’ll often refer to women as “girls.” “Hi Girls.” “A girl was here about an issue.” There’s a receptionist at work who will correct me and she told me she doesn’t like when waiters refer to her and her friends as “girls.”

Sometimes I’l fondly refer to my friends that are girls as “chicks.“OK chick, see you soon”

@JLeslie—I think “girlfriends” is fun! :) the word means something different…. Not an age diminutive thing anymore, just a way of saying “I’m really close to these gals”

I think gals is fine too…. Where I live it’s understood as the female equivalent to “guys,” but it does sound a bit dated for whatever reason, and we use “guys” for any gender anyway.

Soulbresaul—many women like to be called a girl because it makes them feel younger. It depends on the individual, of course. A total adult stranger I’d never call a girl. To me, it seems every unmarried female who is at least a few years younger than me is a ‘girl’—which you have made me aware is not appropriate. It is sometimes even confusing, making people misunderstand the age of the person you’re talking about.

I love ANY pet name my partner calls me by I consider it a token of affection, never demeaning.

I will add that when spouses call each other “Mommy” and “Daddy” it weirds me out.

Ditto^^^

I don’t use gal, but I don’t mind it. I use girls, chicks, and my mom once in a while uses broad. I use ladies also.

Female here. I’m not bothered by the use of “girls” in a personal setting. It annoys the daylights out of me if used at work.

I also agree with @filmfann. Any time a spouse directly speaks to their partner using “Mother” or “Father” or any variation is sort of creepy.

“Hubby” and “wifey” are also slightly annoying.

Those aren’t usually pet names though. People typically use pet names as a sign of a special connection, be it positive or negative.

When people with pets say they are their pets’ mom or dad….. [ shudder]

I use the term babe all the time, even just to female friends. None of them has ever been insulted by it. I can’t stand honey, hon, and darling. Overused in my not so humble opinion. I’ve had women call me dumb ass and moron, don’t bother me a bit. Too bad, so sad. Got to be thick skinned to get along in this cruel world.