We’ve all rolled our eyes at couples who have had all-too-cute nicknames for one another, but when the shoe is on the other foot and the relationship is new, suddenly pet names don’t seem all that silly anymore.
Lean into it: Nicknames are supposed to set yourselves apart from the outside world. After all, anyone can use your sweetheart’s given name, but only you can get away with calling him “Schmoopy” (or Wolf or Big Mac, or whatever you go with).
Cute nicknames may have more of a function than just celebrating your relationship (and disgusting your friends and families). At least one study showed that couples who used pet names were more likely to be satisfied in their relationships than those who didn’t use them. Other research noted that nicknames help couples get through conflict, injecting a source of endearment and playfulness into tough moments.
But which ones to choose? How far on the serious-to-silly scale are you really willing to go? Here are more than a hundred cute nicknames for boyfriends (or cute nicknames for girlfriends, or whatever you might call your partner) to get you thinking.
Only you two can decide which ones are right for you. The best pet names come from a shared history together, an in-joke, or at least some of your favorite TV shows or movies that you watch together. But try a few of these on for size to see how they fit, and you just might have a new Captain on your hands.
Food-Related Nicknames for Boyfriends
He's sweet...and maybe a little spicy. You can choose a nickname based off your favorite foods together.
- Babycake
- Big Mac
- Cheesecake
- Cherry Pie
- Cookie
- Cutie Pie
- Dumpling
- Honey
- Honey Bun
- Jellybean
- Jelly Belly
- Meatball
- Muffin
- Peanut
- Pickle
- Pudding
- Pumpkin
- Short Stack
- Stud Muffin
- Sugar
- Sugar Plum
- Sweetie
- Sweets
- Sweet Pea
- Tater Tot
Cute Nicknames for Boyfriends
Not for the faint of heart, these names are so ultra-adorable that they require great commitment to pull off. Is he man enough to be Squiggles?
- Angel
- Amor
- Babe/Baby
- Boo
- Buddy
- Bubba
- Bubs
- Dimples
- Fluffy
- Lovey
- Papa Bear
- PIC (as in "partner-in-crime")
- Pookie
- Snooku*ms
- Snuggles
- Squishy
- Sunshine
- Teddy
Nicknames for Boyfriends in Different Languages
The Dutch like to call their significant others "mijn poepie," which literally translated means "my little poop." If that's not romantic enough, try these terms of endearment from languages other than English.
- Amore mio ("my love" in Italian)
- Amorzinho ("sweetheart" in Portuguese)
- Ange or Mon Ange ("angel" or "my angel" in French)
- Cara Mia ("my beloved" in Italian)
- Cariño ("honey" in Spanish)
- Chang Noi ("little elephant" in Thai)
- Chuchuzinho ("squash" in Portuguese)
- Guapo ("handsome" in Spanish)
- Kuschelbär ("cuddle bear" in German)
- Liebling ("darling" in German)
- Ma Puce ("my flea" in French)
- Mi Rey ("my king" in Spanish)
- Mo Chuisle ("my pulse" in Gaelic)
- Mon Petit Chou ("sweetheart" in French; literally "my little cabbage")
- Muru ("crumb" in Finnish)
- Ke Aloha ("beloved" in Hawaiian)
- Rodnoy ("soul mate" in Russian)
- Schnuckiputzi ("cutie pie" in German)
- Terrón de Azúcar ("sugar lump" in Spanish)
- Xiao Bao ("little bun" in Mandarin)
Title-Related Nicknames for Boyfriends
Bequeathing a title, or other official-sounding marker of status, shows that he's the top man for the job. (But just make sure you get one in return!)
- Ace
- Admiral
- Baron
- Boss
- Captain
- Chief
- Coach
- Doc
- Duke
- King
- Major
- Mister/Mister Man
- Monsieur
- Prince
- Professor
- Sailor
- Sergeant
- Sir
Actual Pet Names for Boyfriends
Animal names are a cute couple's go-to, but which ones? Feline, fowl or something a little more ferocious?
- Anaconda
- Bear
- Bee
- Bugs
- Bunny
- Dragon
- Ducky
- Foxy
- Hawk
- Honey Bee
- Honey Bunny
- Lion
- Love Bug
- Penguin
- Puppy
- Tiger
- Stallion
- Wolf
Pop Culture-Related Nicknames for Boyfriends
Whether you like cuddling up to Seinfeld reruns or keep re-visiting the Shire of the Lord of the Rings, these names recall your favorite fictional adventures.
- Booboo
- Casanova
- Cyrano
- Don Juan
- Drogo
- He-Man
- Hercules
- Meldo
- McDreamy/McSteamy
- Mr. Big
- My Lobster
- My Precious
- Padawan
- Prince Charming
- Pinky
- Pooh Bear
- Romeo
- Schmoopy
Not-Entirely-Serious Nicknames for Boyfriends
Sometimes it's fun to just call each other by the silliest, most over-the-top names you can think of. When the mood strikes, try one of these on, and see if you can say them without laughing.
- Bubble Butt
- Dream Boat
- Fuzzy Butt
- Goober
- Hunk
- Hot Lips
- Hottie McHotpants
- Hubba Hubba
- Lover Boy/Loverman
- My Dude
- Playboy
- Snuggle Buggle
- Studly
- Sweet Cheeks
- Wild Thing
- Wonderboy
- Wuvy
