So, I was thinking about cutesy nicknames...

[conuly]

Not the sort that directly relate to names, just the sort that you can use on anybody.

And I'm thinking - wow, there's a lot of them that are directly related to food.

Cupcake, Cookie, Dumpling, Sweetie, Sugar, Honey, Pumpkin, Peanut... why is that? And why do people tell kids "You're so cute, I could eat you up"? Is cannibalism supposed to be funny? I don't get it.

Anybody willing to list off cutesy nicknames in any language they know? Please? I'm bored. Heck, I'm even tempted to crosspost this.

Comments

[literalgirl.livejournal.com]

I can't explain it (the food thing), but I must do it, too, because one of my nicknames for Bolt is "niblet"! And I should point out that HE asked me when he was about 6 or so WHY "terms of endearment" were so often food-related and that he thought it was kind of creepy. :-) [I used to use 'pumpkin", too... and I still sometimes slip with "sweetie-pie", but he HATES that.]

I also like "kiddo", which was what my own late mom called me.

My dad still calls me "tyker".

And my grandma calls Bolt (and other male kids sometimes) "His Nibs".

[atdelphi.livejournal.com]

A popular one for children in my (French-Canadian) family was "crotte de nez." Which means, er, "booger." Which, I guess, if you're talking about kids, can be something to eat.

[rachelkachel]

My dad calls my mom Jellybean...

Don't know any in other languages, I'm afraid, though I'd be interested as well if there are some.

[brownkitty.livejournal.com]

I've been told that "mon petit chou-chou" (I don't think that's spelled right, but anyway) is a French endearment, and translates to "my little cabbage."

[peebs1701.livejournal.com]

^^ I was just going to say that one. I think you spelled it correctly.

I don't think I know of any in other languages. I have no idea why most pet names are food related (and usually desserts at that). Still, I guess it's easier to grok someone when they're already edible.

[thornleaf.livejournal.com]

I think it's just "mon petit chou" but yes, it does mean "my little cabbage".

Frankly, I think I'd rather be a sweetie pie. Better a pie than a tart, right?

[fjorab-teke.livejournal.com]

Yeah, there are versions of "cabbage" and other food nicknames in Spanish too. I can't think of how to say any of them though.

As for my nickname from Dad, it's "Punkin'" because from my early childhood and onward everyone knew I LOVED pumpkin pie. My boistrous annoying younger sister is "Squeaks."

[wodhaund.livejournal.com]

I've used "munchkin" before, and "bitty".

"Batty" is another one I use frequently, generally when the subject is flailing about like a miniature madman.

"Bocchan" and "Bocchama" both translate to "young master", but they're both terribly cute to me. Too bad I don't have any little boys around I can use it on.

[adiva_calandia]

Mon petit chou? My little cabbage?

[adiva_calandia]

--Dang, they beat me to it. *grin*

[the-lady-aurora.livejournal.com]

I live in Wales and get called cariad (love) and bach (little), a lot.

[leora.livejournal.com]

dear, darling, sweetie, hubby, wifey, love, luv, pigsney (archaic and only likely to be used by people who read The Superior Person's Book of Words)

I have been affectionately referred to as "squirrel", "my squirrel", and "sqitten" (there is no obvious term for a young squirrel, so it was invented). However, this is because I consider myself a squirrel, and it wouldn't translate well. Although kitten is a fairly common endearment, I suppose.

cutey, cutes, babe, baby, rug rat, pookums, pookie, pookiebear (I don't know where these three come from, but they are in my head), snuggums

[firingneurons.livejournal.com]

On the non-edible nicknames, my dad used to call me and my brothers 'puntlings' because when we were babis we were small enough to punt, like a football.

[literalgirl.livejournal.com]

I can't explain it (the food thing), but I must do it, too, because one of my nicknames for Bolt is "niblet"! And I should point out that HE asked me when he was about 6 or so WHY "terms of endearment" were so often food-related and that he thought it was kind of creepy. :-) [I used to use 'pumpkin", too... and I still sometimes slip with "sweetie-pie", but he HATES that.]

I also like "kiddo", which was what my own late mom called me.

My dad still calls me "tyker".

And my grandma calls Bolt (and other male kids sometimes) "His Nibs".

[atdelphi.livejournal.com]

A popular one for children in my (French-Canadian) family was "crotte de nez." Which means, er, "booger." Which, I guess, if you're talking about kids, can be something to eat.

[rachelkachel]

My dad calls my mom Jellybean...

Don't know any in other languages, I'm afraid, though I'd be interested as well if there are some.

[brownkitty.livejournal.com]

I've been told that "mon petit chou-chou" (I don't think that's spelled right, but anyway) is a French endearment, and translates to "my little cabbage."

[peebs1701.livejournal.com]

^^ I was just going to say that one. I think you spelled it correctly.

I don't think I know of any in other languages. I have no idea why most pet names are food related (and usually desserts at that). Still, I guess it's easier to grok someone when they're already edible.

[thornleaf.livejournal.com]

I think it's just "mon petit chou" but yes, it does mean "my little cabbage".

Frankly, I think I'd rather be a sweetie pie. Better a pie than a tart, right?

[fjorab-teke.livejournal.com]

Yeah, there are versions of "cabbage" and other food nicknames in Spanish too. I can't think of how to say any of them though.

As for my nickname from Dad, it's "Punkin'" because from my early childhood and onward everyone knew I LOVED pumpkin pie. My boistrous annoying younger sister is "Squeaks."

[wodhaund.livejournal.com]

I've used "munchkin" before, and "bitty".

"Batty" is another one I use frequently, generally when the subject is flailing about like a miniature madman.

"Bocchan" and "Bocchama" both translate to "young master", but they're both terribly cute to me. Too bad I don't have any little boys around I can use it on.

[adiva_calandia]

Mon petit chou? My little cabbage?

[adiva_calandia]

--Dang, they beat me to it. *grin*

[the-lady-aurora.livejournal.com]

I live in Wales and get called cariad (love) and bach (little), a lot.

[leora.livejournal.com]

dear, darling, sweetie, hubby, wifey, love, luv, pigsney (archaic and only likely to be used by people who read The Superior Person's Book of Words)

I have been affectionately referred to as "squirrel", "my squirrel", and "sqitten" (there is no obvious term for a young squirrel, so it was invented). However, this is because I consider myself a squirrel, and it wouldn't translate well. Although kitten is a fairly common endearment, I suppose.

cutey, cutes, babe, baby, rug rat, pookums, pookie, pookiebear (I don't know where these three come from, but they are in my head), snuggums

[firingneurons.livejournal.com]

On the non-edible nicknames, my dad used to call me and my brothers 'puntlings' because when we were babis we were small enough to punt, like a football.