Calling people by pet names

[lauren9317]

It's weird and interesting to me how some people can call others by pet names like "sweetie" and "honey" and it sounds normal and natural coming from them. And then I think other people try to do it and it sounds weird. Maybe that's just me.

I've been thinking about this lately because there's a co-worker of mine who I had never ever heard call anyone any pet names. And then all of a sudden, I swear just in the past month, she has started calling all of her customers "honey" when talking to them on the phone. These customers are basically strangers who she has talked to 3-4 times by now, that's it. She doesn't call any of her co-workers "honey", only random customers on the phone. It seems really out of the blue for her and it is making me cringe every time I hear it because it sounds awkward!!

But a couple of my other CWs have been saying "hon" or "dear" for a long time, so when I hear them say it to their customers, it sounds fine.

I wish the first CW would stop with the "honey"

[alzi]

The pet names for strangers thing really weirds me out. I know it is known to be a southern thing, but NO.

[mrsjason]

My pet names are along the lines of "Hey Stupid". That's for my H. Haha.

Sometimes when my H has a few beers he calls me "sweetie". I want to vomit in my mouth.


Weird note, but my Gyno calls me sugar. He's an old fella, and from the south, and it doesn't bother me. I am pretty sure he calls everyone sugar. But I always wonder if that is appropriate talk for a Gyno, ya know?

[amellis2]

Oh. Of all the people to call me sugar, my Gyno would be low on my list of nominations.
Esp. while he's down yonder.

[tashaandsage]

I use pet names a lot, but only with people I am very close with. My H and I have pretty much only ever called each other "honey" or "baby." Like he never, ever uses my name when talking to me, only about me to someone else. If he needed to get my attention in a crowd, he still probably yell "honey" over "Tasha."

And I have different ones for the kids, like "lovey" and "babycakes" and other things that will mortify them when they are older. I also tend to call my best friends' children things like "sweetie."

I don't know why I do it, it just comes out. But coworkers, friends, customers, people I randomly come across, I'd never do that.

[lauren9317]

Pet names for husbands and kids are completely normal in my book, Tasha- I'm the same way, H and I never call each other our real names. And I wish that we sometimes did because I hate how it feels so weird to call him "Jason"... I mean, that's his damn name, I don't want to feel strange calling MH by his name, but I do. And he feels weird calling me Lauren. It's all his fault, he started in with the "baby" thing when we first got together and it stuck. I had never ever called anyone "baby" until him, it's so not me!

It doesn't much bother me if someone calls me a pet name but in the case of my CW it just sounds so awkward!!

[alzi]

I'll also say that I HATE the baby thing. It makes my skin crawl.

[jen812]

This post made me chuckle. I have one southern male friend that calls every female 'darlin'. It just melts my heart every time I hear it. Other than him, I usually can't stand it when an adult is called Honey, Hun, etc. Must be the northerner in me.

[lauren9317]

Jun 21, 2012 15:50:48 GMT -5 alzi said:

I'll also say that I HATE the baby thing. It makes my skin crawl.

I know! Well it doesn't bother me quite that much but I would never have chosen it as "our" pet name. I would rather call him "honey" which sounds more normal. But sometimes I try to call him that and it probably sounds as weird to him as my CW sounds to me.

[mrsmew]

Jun 21, 2012 15:51:08 GMT -5 jen812 said:

This post made me chuckle. I have one southern male friend that calls every female 'darlin'. It just melts my heart every time I hear it. Other than him, I usually can't stand it when an adult is called Honey, Hun, etc. Must be the northerner in me.

I agree! I do like a nice pet name in a southern drawl - that can work sometimes. But other than that, I'm generally not a fan. There are those few people out there that can totally do it and it works for them, but more times than not, to me it comes across as sort of condescending or patronizing or something.

And I could never pull it off. It's just too familiar with someone you don't know - not my style. And sometimes if it's not "done right" towards me it can make me feel awkward. I went to a new hairdresser a while back who called me "babe" in just about every sentence. "Let's wash your hair, babe. Lean back, babe. How's that, babe? Don't forget to make your next appointment, babe." At first I thought it was funny but by the end I was all I AM NOT YOUR BABE.

Now pet names for my H and my baby? Oh yeah, I'm all over that. I call my kid about a million different things - babycakes, sweet pea, honey bun, pumpkin, you name it. But I wouldn't do that to a stranger!

[mrsjason]

We have a couple that we hang out with and EVERYBODY calls the husband "Pumpkin". That's his wife's pet name for him and everyone has called him that as long as I have known him. I think for him, it would be totally weird to call him buy his real name, Alan.

Although in the professional world, I am pretty sure he goes by Alan, LOL.

[jen812]

Jun 21, 2012 16:26:17 GMT -5 mrsmew said:

Jun 21, 2012 15:51:08 GMT -5 jen812 said:

This post made me chuckle. I have one southern male friend that calls every female 'darlin'. It just melts my heart every time I hear it. Other than him, I usually can't stand it when an adult is called Honey, Hun, etc. Must be the northerner in me.

I agree! I do like a nice pet name in a southern drawl - that can work sometimes. But other than that, I'm generally not a fan. There are those few people out there that can totally do it and it works for them, but more times than not, to me it comes across as sort of condescending or patronizing or something.

Yep, you nailed it on the head.

[jen812]

Jun 21, 2012 16:51:08 GMT -5 mrsjason said:

We have a couple that we hang out with and EVERYBODY calls the husband "Pumpkin". That's his wife's pet name for him and everyone has called him that as long as I have known him. I think for him, it would be totally weird to call him buy his real name, Alan.

Although in the professional world, I am pretty sure he goes by Alan, LOL.

Lol, I bet if his coworkers knew, they might call him Pumpkin too. ;D

[sara76]

I'm a bartender at a restaurant where people sit down and eat and stay awhile so it's like I'm a server at a table but guests tend to want to interact with me a little more than when they sit at a table. Mostly they are alone or with one other person. And usually when they call me "honey" "sweety" or "baby" they coincidentally end up being one of those people that I just don't care for. I can't put my finger on it but they tend to be ones who want to talk the whole time, even when I'm obviously very busy. They want to ask a bazillilon questions about everything on the menu and how it's made. They order something we don't have and insist they've had it before. Complain about the pours on their drinks and the prices of everything. Overall they like to pretend we're BFF's but in reality they are treating me with less respect than my average bar guest who calls me by my name or "excuse me" or even "hey you" which I prefer over "sweety" any day. I try not to pass judgement too quickly because I know people have fronts and everybody is dealing with their own thing, but you asked so that's what I've got. lol