07/10/2024

The Critters

For Nice Critters

Pet Names – Why Are They Important?

Pet Names – Why Are They Important?

Cutesy/affectionate nicknames, also known as pet names, are often used in a relationship to show intimacy. They are equally important in both a normal relationship and long distance relationship.

Calling your mate by a cutesy nickname may annoy other people, but don’t let it bother you. Researchers say it’s a sign that the two of you have a very healthy and strong relationship.

Benefits

  1. A Higher Level of Intimacy – I believe this is very self-explanatory. Calling pet names rather than real name sounds closer among you because they are the names which only two of you can use to address each other. It creates a sense of uniqueness.
  2. Creates A Boundary/Exclusiveness – That’s according to the book How to Improve Your Marriage Without Talking About It. It’s a way to identify the relationship as exclusive because when people around you overhear your cutesy conversation, they know you’re committed to each other. I know this kind of situation does not really happen frequently in the context of a long distance relationship, but two of you can still feel the sense of exclusiveness. Once you meet up physically with each other after some time, the feeling will just explode and two of you will be confined in your two-person world. This was what happened to me. When I finally had a chance to meet up with my girlfriend after a long time, we couldn’t bother what’s happening around us. We focus on each other totally. This doesn’t really occur due to pet names but pet names will make it sweeter definitely. The sense of exclusiveness is especially important when you are messaging or calling your distant lover when two of you are apart.
  3. Signs of Alert – When two of you start to call each other using pet names, it is an obvious sign when she suddenly calls you by your actual name. It can mean two things. Firstly, it’s because she is angry at you about something. Secondly, she is joking and playing around with you. The former is more likely to happen. You will have to decipher it by the tone and context yourself.

Tips

  1. About The Awkwardness – I know it’s a bit awkward and you may feel shy when you are calling your partner by the new nickname. Don’t worry, it’s perfectly normal and I’ve experienced it before as well. It’s like the awkwardness when you want to say “I love you” for the first few times. Just say it as normally as you can and continue it for a few days. Both of you will get used to it. Afterwards, you will feel weird if you don’t use the nickname suddenly.
  2. Address Your Lover At The Beginning of Every ConversationBad example: “What are you doing?” Good example: “Baby, what are you doing?” Call him or her in pet names before any sentence makes a lot of difference. It sounds a lot more intimate.
  3. Respect Each Other – Remember to respect your lover at all times. Do not call pet names that he or she doesn’t like. The advice is that you can start calling your lover some pet names you like. It will generate more conversations on this. It is obvious from the conversation whether he or she likes the pet name. If you feel your partner doesn’t like it, simply just try another one next time. Another method is to ask your partner directly saying that whether you can use this pet name on him or her. Normally, your partner will like whatever names you call him or her. Just… Don’t be shy!