120 Cute Nicknames for Your Boyfriend or Girlfriend (and How to Pick One)

The best nicknames are never chosen from a list. They come from a mispronounced word, a holiday, a joke nobody else would understand. But everyone needs a starting point, and a good pet name is a small private language between two people.

Here are 120, sorted by style, and a short guide to finding one that sticks.

Classic pet names

1. Babe
2. Baby
3. Love
4. Honey
5. Darling
6. Sweetheart
7. Dear
8. Angel
9. Sweetie
10. My love
11. Hun
12. Beautiful
13. Handsome
14. Gorgeous
15. Sunshine
16. Treasure
17. Dearest
18. Beloved
19. Lovely
20. Bae

Cute nicknames

21. Bug
22. Bunny
23. Bean
24. Peanut
25. Button
26. Cupcake
27. Muffin
28. Pumpkin
29. Boo
30. Bubba
31. Cutie
32. Snuggles
33. Pookie
34. Dumpling
35. Teddy
36. Cub
37. Dove
38. Sprout
39. Pickle
40. Smiley

Nicknames for him

41. Champ
42. Chief
43. Captain
44. Big guy
45. Tiger
46. Bear
47. Hero
48. Mister
49. Ace
50. Stud
51. Romeo
52. My man
53. Hubby
54. Prince
55. Rock
56. Sailor
57. Cowboy
58. Superman
59. Boss
60. King

Nicknames for her

61. Princess
62. Queen
63. Wifey
64. Doll
65. Rose
66. Daisy
67. Bella
68. Peach
69. Cherry
70. Gem
71. Star
72. Goddess
73. Missy
74. Sugar
75. Buttercup
76. Kitten
77. Dream girl
78. Lady
79. Petal
80. My girl

Funny nicknames

81. Trouble
82. Goober
83. Nugget
84. Noodle
85. Weirdo
86. Dork
87. Snack
88. Monkey
89. Goose
90. Sleepyhead
91. Grumpy
92. Nerd
93. Potato
94. Meatball
95. Menace
96. Cheeseball
97. Stinker
98. Chaos
99. Gremlin
100. Muppet

Romantic nicknames

101. My heart
102. My person
103. My everything
104. Soulmate
105. My one
106. Heartbeat
107. My world
108. Forever
109. My always
110. Dream
111. Lover
112. My home
113. Better half
114. My favourite
115. Light of my life
116. Mi amor
117. Mon amour
118. Amore
119. Cariño
120. Habibi

How to pick one that sticks

• Start from a real moment. Something they said, ate, wore or got wrong. Names with a story last longest.
• Try it and watch their face. You will know within a second.
• Ask if you're unsure. “Do you like being called that?” is a perfectly good question. Some people hate “baby”.
• Avoid anything about their body or an insecurity. Even as a joke.
• Have a public one and a private one. The private one is the good one.
• Do not reuse one from an ex. They will find out.

Why couples use pet names at all

Researchers who study couple communication have found that private language, including nicknames and in-jokes, tends to go along with feeling closer and more satisfied. It is not that the names cause it. They are a sign of a shared world that only the two of you live in.

If a nickname suddenly stops being used, that can be a small signal too. It is often one of the first things to go when couples drift.

Add to your private language

In-jokes come from knowing each other well. One question a day is a good way to collect more of them: BloomingPairs, free on iPhone and Android →

Frequently asked questions

What is the most popular pet name?

“Babe”, “baby”, “love” and “honey” are the most widely used in English.

When should you start using a nickname?

Whenever it comes naturally. If you are unsure whether they like it, ask.

Is it weird not to have pet names?

No. Plenty of happy couples use first names. What matters is that you have some private language of your own.