120+ Flirty Nicknames for Your Boyfriend or Husband That Set the Stage for Romance

Updated: Mar. 07, 2024

Maya Wang/RD.com, Getty Images

Love is in the air! Here’s how to choose the perfect nickname for your hunka hunka burnin' love—aka your boyfriend or hubby.

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

A couple in a stylish bedroom have an animated, and lighthearted discussion. Catherine Falls Commercial/Getty Images

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.