Do you mind if people call you babe?

fashionlover10

Or any other term of endearment?

Last night I was talking to a male friend (not a very close one) and during the conversation he called me babe. I didn't like it and asked him not to call me it at which point he got huffy and stopped talking to me.

I've been thinking about it today and, although I'm not bothered that he got annoyed at me, I am wondering whether I over-reacted or if I'm not the only one who doesn't like it?

I don't mind OH calling me babe but with anyone else it seems weird and I just don't appreciate it.

Is it just me? Are there any other 'pet names' you don't like being called?

minimoneysaver

I don't mind it. I think I sometimes call my close friends babes etc.

Tiglath

Doesn't bother me at all - got called darlin' by some workmen today.

pops5588

Oo I hate it. Like you, my OH calls me 'babe' amongst a few other silly nicknames that, 4 years later, I have no idea where they've come from.

I feel really icky and squirmy if anyone else calls me it. It doesn't "offend" me as such I just feel gross about it!!

Own_My_Own

It really is who is saying it, and how they say it.

My Dad calls everyone Babe. He had a stroke 10 years ago and still has trouble remembering names. Nobody ever comments, as he put no emphasis on the word.
He call all his male friends Mate.

He only uses people's real names in one to one conversations, where he has time to think.

Person_one

Just hearing someone else being called 'babe' winds me up.

Unless its in this context:

browneyedbazzi

You're not alone, I don't like it either.

I'm fine with close friends/family/partner using such terms, but when people I barely know or people in service roles use them it really annoys me. I also hate their use in the workplace where it feels either overly familiar or dismissive.

Treevo

I get it from older women. It doesn't bother me in the slightest - I find people who get upset about things like this are usually the type I want to be nothing like.

victor2

DD and her BF call each other Babe, but not to anybody else. Assuming you asked him in a nice way, he should have just accepted you didn't like that name, no matter how many people he calls that.
He's clearly not close to you, so it's his loss. He may get over it and talk to you again.
Children and OH have "pet names" for me, but I wouldn't expect anyone else to use them.

Brighton_belle

No I wouldn't want anyone calling me 'babe' and I can't quite see it happening somehow:rotfl:

No I don't think you were over reacting: all you did was ask nicely that he refrain - can't see the problem with that.

BugglyB

I don't mind it, but I would support someone else if they did, I think its up to you if you want to ask people not to call you babe, your friend had no right to get huffy.

I live in a part of the country where people call each other 'love' all the time, I quite like it, but you can tell when its being said in a patronising way.