Pookiebear

Snoogletoes

Cuddlebug

Pumpkin

Any of those terms make you feel all warm and cuddly inside?

Nope?

They don’t exactly ring my bell either.

I have been thinking about nicknames and terms of endearment for a couple of characters I’m working on.

Her nickname came easily. His – not so much.

So I thought about all the names people use to refer to their special someone.

Words like “honey,” “sweetie,” and “sugarlips.” (Yeah, I threw that one in there to see if you’re paying attention.)

Seriously, though, this is an important topic.

When I hear terms like “dear,” “darling,” and “dearest,” they tend to annoy me or make me think someone has fallen through a time warp from 1840s England where the phrase “dearest” might be an acceptable term.

“Dear” is the phrase Captain Cavedweller and I tend to use when we are doing something for one another that we’d really rather not do.  Like when I am asked to run by the store and pick up a round of ammo and a package of side meat, I will end that conversation with “Yes, dear. No problem, dear.” Likewise, when I ask him to do things like help me hang curtains or look at paint chips, I get to hear, “Yes, dear. Whatever you like, dear.”

The phrase “darling” makes me think of some poorly written bodice ripper romance from the early 90s.

I do, however, really like the phrase “darlin’.” You know it is rolling off some good-looking cowboy’s lips, therefore, it has to be good. Right?

The other day I ran into a friend who  was commiserating about our cat who was lost at the time. When she squeezed my hand and called me “baby,” I can’t tell you how much better it made me feel.

“Babe” is another phrase I like and one both CC and I use at home.

“Honey” can go either way, depending who is saying it and how it is said. However, the term “Hon” most generally sets me on edge. Especially when it is used by someone I’ve just met.

So many pet names are individualized between a couple or friends – a name that has developed because of time spent getting to know one another and shared experiences.

I think I need to look at my characters again, see what they’ve shared and come up with something unique for his nickname.

What terms of endearment or funny nicknames do you like to use in your writing or everyday life?