Cute Nicknames for Your Boyfriend: 100 Ideas and Sweet Everyday Texts

In private vs. in front of friends: different rules

Plenty of guys happily answer to "kitten" in private and turn red if you say it in front of friends or coworkers. That doesn't mean he hates the nickname. He just has a home version of himself and a public one, and they play by different rules.

Easy fix: keep two sets. At home, anything sweet goes. In public, use his name, a short form or a nickname that sounds like a compliment: "my captain," "chef," "the handyman."

Do guys like cutesy pet names?

It depends, and you can't guess in advance. One melts at "bunny," another feels like he's being treated as a kid. Nicknames with strength, reliability or humor tend to go over better. The ones that make him small and helpless, less so. But there are exceptions: a huge bearded guy who gets called "cupcake" is often the proudest of all.

Sweet: 15 nicknames

Love, my love, sweetheart, sunshine, sunny, my joy, my happiness, my soul, my heart, my one and only, my good boy, golden, sugar, darling, honey bun.

Animal: 15 nicknames

Kitty, cat, tomcat, bear, teddy, teddy bear, tiger, lion, wolf, wolf cub, bunny, hedgehog, fluffball, fox, walrus (if he loves lying on the couch).

Notice the difference: "bear" and "tiger" play up strength, "bunny" and "teddy" play up softness. If you're not sure, start with the first kind.

Respectful: 15 nicknames

My hero, protector, knight, captain, commander, chef, boss, handyman, my man, man of the house, provider, warrior, Atlas, smarty, genius.

These are easy to say in public. There's nothing mushy about them, but it's clear you're proud of him. "Thanks, handyman" after he fixes a shelf beats any plain "thank you."

Playful: 15 nicknames

Grumpy, grouch, sleepyhead, bottomless pit, troublemaker, bandit, pirate, rascal, weirdo, goofball, couch potato, show-off, philosopher, idea machine, Mr. Five More Minutes.

Playful nicknames work when your senses of humor match. If he gets hurt by "goofball," that joke isn't yours. Go softer.

From his name: 25 versions

• Dmitry: Dimasik, Dimulya, Mitya, Mityusha.
• Alexander: Sashulya, Sanyok, Shurik, Sanya.
• Artyom: Tyomochka, Tyoma, Tyomka, Tyomych.
• Maxim: Maksik, Max, Maksyusha.
• Ivan: Vanechka, Vanyusha, Vanyushka, Vanyok.
• Mikhail: Mishanya, Mishutka, Mikha.
• Nikita: Nikitos, Kitya, Nikitushka.

In Russian, forms ending in "-os" and "-ych" (Nikitos, Tyomych) sound buddy-like and work in public. Forms ending in "-ulya" and "-ushka" are for home. In English the same logic holds: "Mike" and "Danny boy" are different worlds.

Foreign: 10 nicknames

• English: honey, babe, boy, handsome.
• French: mon cher (my dear), mon amour (my love).
• Italian: amore (love), tesoro (treasure).
• Spanish: cariño (sweetheart), mi rey (my king).

Your own: how personal nicknames are born

The most alive nicknames grow out of everyday life. He can make soup out of three ingredients: "Chef." He once got lost in a mall for an hour and a half: "Columbus." He negotiates with the alarm clock every morning: "The Negotiator." He falls asleep twenty minutes into any movie: "The Critic." You won't find a nickname like that on any list, and that's the whole point.

Sweet things to text your boyfriend: 15 lines for different moments

A nickname is half the job. The other half is saying something warm at the right moment. A few lines you can borrow and make your own:

• Morning: "Opened my eyes and grabbed my phone to see if you'd texted. Have a good day, love."
• Morning: "Coffee doesn't taste as good without you. Can't wait for tonight."
• Before something big: "You've got this. I don't doubt it for a second."
• Before something big: "Crossing my fingers so hard they've gone white."
• After a rough day: "Come over. The kettle's on and the blanket's waiting on your side of the couch."
• After a rough day: "You handled stuff today that would've sent me running. My hero."
• After a fight: "Fighting with you is the worst hobby ever. Let's find a better one."
• After a fight: "I was wrong about one thing, you were wrong about another. Call it a tie? Hug it out."
• Just because: "Our song came on at the store and I froze in the pasta aisle like an idiot."
• Just because: "With you around, even Mondays are bearable."
• Just because: "I'm glad you exist. That's the whole message."
• Compliment: "You have a great laugh. I make you laugh on purpose."
• Compliment: "I love how you take care of everyone. Especially me."
• Before bed: "My pillow's trying its best, but it's no substitute for you. Good night."
• Before bed: "The best day of the week is the one with you in it. Today was one."

For more ideas, see what to talk about with your boyfriend and cute nicknames for your girlfriend if you want to compare how it works both ways.

Nicknames that can sting

• Nicknames that hit a sore spot: height, a bald patch, weight, salary. Even as a joke.
• Baby talk in public. "Snookums" in front of his friends will be remembered for a long time, and not in his favor.
• Comparisons with other people. "My Brad Pitt" is cute right up until he wonders why he's not Brad Pitt.
• Nicknames you used for an ex. He may find out, and then the word is ruined for good.

How to introduce a nickname so it sticks

Don't ask permission. Just use it at the right moment, ideally over text or in private. "Thanks, handyman, the shelf looks brand new" sounds natural. If he picks it up, answers in kind or smiles, it's accepted. If he winces or says nothing, don't take it personally and try another one in a couple of days. You can also ask directly: "What did your family call you as a kid?" Sometimes that's the best key there is.

Test a nickname in chat with a character

Want to hear how "bear" or "my captain" sounds before you say it to a real person? my-idol.ru has characters with all kinds of personalities: a stern bodyguard, a sarcastic neighbor, a romantic with a short fuse. One gets flustered, another fires back a snarky line, a third melts, and you'll feel where a nickname works and where it sounds forced. If you'd rather build your own character from scratch, check out how to create an AI boyfriend.