120 No-Cringe Nicknames for Boyfriends Who Deserve a Pet Name

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.

75 Cute Nicknames for Your Boyfriend or Husband

Plus, find out how Ladd got the ‘Marlboro Man’ nickname!

By Micaela Bahn Published: Feb 2, 2023

There are so many cute Ree and Ladd Drummond stories, but there’s one that has a particular place in our hearts: how Ladd got his “Marlboro Man” nickname. Many years ago, Ree hosted a baby shower for her best friend Hyacinth and invited a bunch of people over. As guests were arriving, she heard one of them say, ‘My gosh, who is that Marlboro Man sitting on the porch?’ We can all guess who it was. that rugged, strong-jawed gent. 😂

So, the adorable pseudonym was born. Nicknames for boyfriends and husbands are one of those things that just comes with the territory of being with another person. They’re born from sweet memories like Ree’s, inside jokes, or the interests you share. And sometimes they’re just weird, cringy, mushy words. but darn it, they work for some reason!

Finding the right words for your hunny is like trying on a pair of cowboy boots—they may be cute, but they sure as heck need to fit if they’re going to last. Here, you’ll find the best nicknames for boyfriends and husbands to try out. Write them in funny Valentine’s Day cards or get some public feedback by putting them your couple Instagram caption.

Cute Nicknames for a Boyfriend or Husband

• Pookie Head
• Sweetums
• Handsome Man
• Cutie Patootie
• Bubba
• Babe
• Darling
• Chef
• Sweet Pea
• Peanut
• Boo-Boo
• Squish
• My Pet
• Wonder Boy
• Bean
• Squeeze (alternatively, Main Squeeze)
• Sparky
• Big Spoon
• Boots
• Mister Man

Funny Nicknames for a Boyfriend or Husband

• Goober
• Dream Machine
• Shmoopy
• Stud Muffin
• Lover Boy / Lover Man
• Chicken Nugget
• Pickles
• Hot Lips
• Noodles
• Tater Tot
• Honeybutt
• Dude

Pop Culture Nicknames for a Boyfriend or Husband

• Marlboro Man
• Romeo
• Prince Charming
• He-Man
• Mr. Big
• Pooh Bear
• Tony Stark
• McDreamy
• Mad Max
• Marty McFly
• Howl
• Candyman
• Mr. Smith
• Muppet
• Casanova
• Don Juan
• Hercules
• Cookie Monster
• Wild Thing
• Superman

Animal Nicknames for a Boyfriend or Husband

• Bug
• Moose
• Bear
• Honey Bee
• Chipmunk
• Puppy
• Bird
• Crawdaddy
• Honey Badger
• Fox
• Teddy Bear
• Panda
• Mudbug

Nicknames for a Boyfriend or Husband in Other Languages

• Liebling (“darling” in German)
• Habibi (“my love” in Arabic)
• Amore mio (“my love” in Italian)
• Mon chéri (“my darling” in French)
• Guapo (“handsome” in Spanish)
• Mo Chuisle (“my pulse” in Gaelic)
• Zeeskeit (“sweetness” in Yiddish)
• Mi Rey (“my king” in Spanish)
• Xiao Bao (“little bun” in Mandarin)
• Neshama Sheli (“my soul” in Hebrew)

Micaela Bahn is a freelance editorial assistant and recent graduate from Carleton College, where she majored in English literature. She loves running, photography, and cooking the best new recipes.

120 No-Cringe Nicknames for Boyfriends Who Deserve a Pet Name

Is he sweet, tough or just plain funny? Give him a nickname to match.

Anyone can call him by his first name. His family might have a special nickname for him. But these pet names? They’re just for you.

A pet name is just one of the many things that make your relationship one-of-a-kind. It’s right up there with your first-date story, all your inside jokes, the cute things you text each other in the morning and the spots you rotate through for your regular date nights.

Cute nicknames don’t just celebrate your relationship together, either : 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.

If you haven’t yet chosen yours yet, keep in mind that the best cute nicknames for boyfriends (or cute nicknames for girlfriends, or whatever you might call your partner) are rooted, at least, in part in your history together. You can draw inspiration from your favorite foods, TV shows, shared languages or any other piece of your relationship together that belongs to just the two of you. Try a few of these on for size, and see if any stick

He’s the sweetest guy you know, so give him a pet name that’s just as tasty. If none of these fit the bill, choose the dessert you’re most likely to share together.

• Babycake
• Cherry Pie
• Cookie
• Cutie Pie
• Dumpling
• Honey
• Honey Bun
• Jellybean
• Meatball
• Muffin
• Peanut
• Pickle
• Pudding
• Pumpkin
• Short Stack
• Stud Muffin
• Sugar
• Sugar Plum
• Sweetie
• Sweets
• Sweet Pea
• Tater Tot

Cute Nicknames for Boyfriends

Especially popular among new loves, ultra-cute nicknames for boyfriends may drive everyone else around you up the wall, but you’re too into it to care (or even notice).

• Angel
• Amor
• Babe/Baby
• Boo
• Buddy
• Bubba
• Bubs
• Lovey
• Papa Bear
• PIC (as in “partner-in-crime)
• Pookie
• Snookums
• 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
• Cariño (“honey” in Spanish)
• Chang Noi (“little elephant” in Thai)
• Chuchuzinho (“squash” in Portuguese)
• 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 Ange (“my angel” in French)
• Mon Petit Chouchou (“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)

Time to get serious . or not really. Still, a very official-sounding name will show him that he’s the top man for the job. (Just make sure you get a title in return!)

Actual Pet Names for Boyfriends

If your boyfriend were an animal, would he be a tiger? Or is he more of a snuggle bear? They don’t call them “pet” names for nothing!

• Anaconda
• Bear
• Bee (or Honey Bee)
• Bunny (or Honey Bunny)
• Dragon
• Ducky
• Foxy
• Hawk
• Lion
• Love Bug
• Penguin
• Puppy
• Tiger
• Stallion
• Wolf

Whether he’s into Tolkein’s elves or really likes watching old Seinfeld reruns, you can find a nickname that suits him from his favorite books, shows and movies.

• Booboo
• Casanova
• Cyrano
• Don Juan
• Drogo
• He-Man
• Hercules
• Meldo
• McDreamy/McSteamy
• Mr. Big
• My Lobster
• My Precious
• Prince Charming
• Pinky
• 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

Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; she previously wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found dominating the audio round at her local bar trivia night or tweeting about movies.