Love is in the air! Here’s how to choose the perfect nickname for your hunka hunka burnin' love—aka your boyfriend or hubby.
![120+ Flirty Nicknames for Your Boyfriend or Husband That Set the Stage for Romance](https://www.rd.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/GettyImages-1197459513-Nicknames-for-Boyfriend.jpg)
120+ Flirty Nicknames for Your Boyfriend or Husband That Set the Stage for Romance
![120+ Flirty Nicknames for Your Boyfriend or Husband That Set the Stage for Romance](https://www.rd.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/GettyImages-1197459513-Nicknames-for-Boyfriend.jpg)
Why would Prince Philip call the late Queen Elizabeth II … “cabbage”? How romantic can a veggie be? Apparently for the royal couple, very romantic! While that might not be your first choice, having nicknames for your boyfriend or husband is a sweet and natural part of a romantic relationship. This is because a nickname isn’t just any old name—it’s a symbol of how you feel about a person and what they mean to you, says psychologist Scott Lyons, DO, author of Addicted to Drama.
“Each time the pet name is spoken, it speaks affection, admiration, security and love. Even the tone and pitch in which it’s said evokes a special feeling,” says Dr. Lyons. “We can call anyone by their name, but a nickname reserves a unique form of intimacy for the one we care about.”
Not sure how to be romantic? A nickname is an excellent place to start … but you have to choose just the right pet name. You can go sweet, intimate or funny—it will depend on the two of you and your relationship—but you both have to like it. And that’s not only true when it comes to nicknames for men but also nicknames for a girlfriend, wife or friend. Once you’ve chosen the best name, you can use it in love messages, flirty texts and while whispering sweet nothings to your beloved. Trust us when we say that it can totally transform your relationship.
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What should you consider when choosing a nickname?
Flirty nicknames for your boyfriend or husband might come from an inside joke, a shared experience, a tradition, a bit of pop culture, a certain way you see the other person or just a sweet term of endearment.
Nicknames can also evolve over time, as seen with Prince Philip’s sweet nickname for Queen Elizabeth: mon petit chou. It’s French for “my little pastry puff” or “my little cabbage,” depending on the region. Eventually this got shortened to the prince simply calling the queen “cabbage,” even sometimes in public. Other couples probably wouldn’t use a leafy green as a term of endearment, but it worked perfectly for the royal couple, says Lyons. It also shows how much fun it can be to use nicknames from other languages!
And there’s so much more than just “sweetie” and “honey” to choose from! Lucky for you, we have a whole list of creative, romantic, funny and unique ideas, along with some ideas for how to choose the perfect one for your love.
Cute nicknames for your boyfriend or husband
- Honey Bear
- Sweet Stuff
- Love Bug
- Mr. Right
- My Main Man
- Cowboy
- Ace
- Sweet Thing
- Fly Guy
- Captain
- Hunk
- Big Guy
- Sir Loves-a-Lot
- Cutie Patootie
- Babe
- Boo (variations: Boo-Boo and Boo-Boo Bear)
- Señor Sauve (a Spanish nickname for your boyfriend)
- Muscles
- Pookie
- Lovey Love
- Snuggle Buddy
- Bubs (variations: Bubsy, Bubsy Wubsy and Bubba)
You can also get some inspiration for flirty nicknames for boyfriends from these other royal nicknames, including Kate’s flirty nickname for William.
Romantic nicknames for your boyfriend or husband
- Romeo
- Mi Amor (“My Love” in Spanish)
- Mi Corazon (“My Heart” in Spanish)
- Cara Mia (“My Beloved” in Italian)
- Handsome
- Casanova
- My Knight in Shining Armor
- Sweetheart (variations: Sweetie and Sweetie-Pie)
- My Forever
- Amoreaux (“Lover” in French)
- Love
- Soulmate
- Adonis
- Prince Charming
- Darling
- My One and Only
- Dreamboat
- My Safe Place
- My Happily Ever After
- My World
- My Mister
For more inspiration, check out these romantic love quotes and love poems.
Funny nicknames for your boyfriend or husband
- Hunka-Hunka Burnin’ Love
- Partner in Crime
- Sofa King
- Slayer of Hearts
- Sugar Daddy
- Stud Muffin
- Cuddle Puddle
- Snuggly Wuggly
- Sparkle Britches
- Fuzzy Wuzzy
- Smarty Pants
- Sweetums
- Tough Guy
- Hotshot
- Wild Thing
- Dream Machine
- Dreamy McDreamboat
- Captain Charisma
Some of these funny nicknames can also serve as inspiration for car names, boat names and even funny usernames.
Food-inspired nicknames for your boyfriend or husband
- Love Nugget
- Beefcake
- Hot Buns
- Big Mac
- Honey Buns
- King-Sized Candy Bar
- Marshmallow
- Love Muffin
- Hot Chocolate
- Sugar
- Butter Biscuit
- Cupcake
- Sweet Cheeks
- Doughnut
- Macho Nacho
- Dumpling
- Pumpkin
- Good & Plenty
- Sweet Pea
- Tater Tot
- Hot Tamale
Good communication is one of the secrets of happy couples, so make sure your significant other likes his new moniker. These questions that lead to love can also help deepen your bond, as well as help you find a nickname if none of these are quite right.
Pop-culture nicknames for your boyfriend or husband
- Superman
- Maverick
- Thor
- Mr. Universe
- Pooh Bear
- Rocky
- MVP
- The Dude
- Captain America
- 007
- Iron Man
- Mr. Big
- Schmoopy
- My Precious
- Han Solo
- Ninja
- McDreamy
- McSteamy
- My Rock
- My Lobster
Cute and funny nicknames for your boyfriend or husband are a great way to start “thinking of you” messages, “good morning” messages and “good night” messages.
Actual pet nicknames for your boyfriend or husband
- Tiger
- Teddy Bear
- Love Monkey
- Honey Badger
- Puppy
- Kitten
- Lion King
- Honey Bunny
- Ducky
- Papa Bear
- Stink Bug
- Love Bandit
- Young Grasshopper
- Bear
- Stallion
- Fox
- Hush Puppy
- Very Hungry Caterpillar
Some of these also make great dog names and cat names!
Personalized gifts with your sweetie’s nickname
Another way to make your honey bunny smile each and every day? Get him a personalized gift emblazoned with his special moniker. Just remember that this sweet term of endearment is something personal between the two of you, so the best gifts for this purpose are either things he can use at home, like a robe, a picture frame or funny socks, or are subtle, like a bracelet or watch with his nickname engraved on the back.
For more ideas, check out these other gifts for him, whether you’re shopping for Valentine’s Day, his birthday, your anniversary or just because.
Source:
- Scott Lyons, DO, relationship psychologist and author of Addicted to Drama