# Affectionate names



## Trix19

Any from your language/s. It doesn't matter whether they're used widely or even by only one person that you know of. I'm mainly interested in all the places they can come from: pet, hen, chicken, duck, lamb (animals, mainly small ones or young animals, including 'baby', 'little one', maybe to show that the person's precious, or yours to protect?); comrade (military, fighting together and on the same side for a time to come); brother, darling, dear, love, lovely, and so on... the ones I know in English include lots that signify loving someone fully, or some attribute to the person in question, such as beautiful or sweet. People are often called smart, brave etc (a more direct appeal to their personality or achievements), but generally not as a name, and if so usually as a teasing one. I'm just wondering where they come from and if there are any missed in British English that appear in other places.


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## rusita preciosa

I read your post twice and stll not sure what your question is...

Are you asking how affectionate words are formed in different languages (like *dog*-*doggy* in Eng or *perro*-*perrito* in Sp)?

In this case, in Russian there are a number of diminutive-endearment suffixes that can be used to form affectionate words, mostly nouns but also adjectives and sometimes even adverbs. Almost any noun can be transformed with a suffix like that, sometimes even one word takes more than one diminutive suffix.

Examples: 
*собака* /sobaka/ - *соба**ч**ка */sobatchka/ - *соба**чон**ка */sobatchonka/: dog - doggy - little doggy
*горячий* /goryatchiy/ - *горяч**еньк**ий */goryatchenkiy/: hot - [not sure how to translate that, something like "nice and hot", speaking of soup, for example]
*быстро* /bystro/ - *быстр**еньк**о* /bystren’ko/ - quickly - [again, not sure how to translate] 

There are lots of options to form enderament variations of first names:
Мария /maria/ – Маша /masha/– Машенька /mashen'ka/ - Манюня /maniunya/
Екатерина /ekaterina/ – Катя /katia/ – Катюша /katiusha/ – Катенька /katen'ka/ – Катюня /katiunya/
Михаил /mikhail/ - Миша /misha/ - Мишенька /mishen'ka/ - Мишуня /mishunya/

More on diminutive suffixes here.

Why they are not as common in English? I guess part of the reason is that English is more of an analytic language (compared, say, to Russian that is a more synthetic language).


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## Grefsen

rusita preciosa said:


> I read your post twice and stll not sure what your question is...
> 
> Are you asking how affectionate words are formed in different languages (like *dog*-*doggy* in Eng or *perro*-*perrito* in Sp)?


I'm also not sure if I completely understand your question, but here are a couple of affectionate names that I've been fortunate enough to have been called in English:

"Babe" and "Honey"



Trix19 said:


> Any from your language/s. It doesn't matter whether they're used widely or even by only one person that you know of. I'm mainly interested in all the places they can come from: pet, hen, chicken, duck, lamb (animals, mainly small ones or young animals, including 'baby', 'little one', maybe to show that the person's precious, or yours to protect?);


I really like being call "Babe" especially during the early stages of a relationship, as long as it's not overused.  However, after awhile I feel like it gets tiresome to be constantly called "Babe."



Trix19 said:


> ... the ones I know in English include lots that signify loving someone fully, or some attribute to the person in question, such as beautiful or sweet.


The affectionate word "Honey" is my personal favorite and this is one word that I never seem to get tired of hearing.


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## Trix19

Sorry that my question was confusing, all I'm looking for is examples of pet names from any language. 
I also love "Honey", and others meaning sweet, "Sugar", "Sweetie" etc. My own favourite is "Love", even when it's used by a stranger in a shop or on a bus.
Thanks for answering, both of you.


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## DenisBiH

rusita preciosa said:


> Екатерина /ekaterina/ – Катя /katia/ – Катюша /katiusha/ – Катенька /katen'ka/ – Катюня /katiunya/



So nothing like Катица?


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## Grefsen

Trix19 said:


> Sorry that my question was confusing, all I'm looking for is examples of pet names from any language.


Thanks for the clarification. 



Trix19 said:


> My own favourite is "Love", even when it's used by a stranger in a shop or on a bus.


I agree with you about the use of "Love." However, it's my experience that this affectionate name is used much more often in the UK than here in the U.S., especially by strangers.


Trix19 said:


> Thanks for answering, both of you.


You're very welcome.


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## rusita preciosa

DenisBiH said:


> So nothing like Катица?


Thankfully, no  because it would sound very similar to *каракатица* (a type of squid, but also slang for awkward, ugly woman).

In seriousness,  *-**ица**-* is not one of the diminutive-endearment suffixes, it is a suffix that forms feminine noun: тигр – тигрица (tiger-tigress), мастер – мастерица (handy man – handy woman).


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## rusita preciosa

Trix19 said:


> I'm looking for is examples of pet names from any language.


Since the Russians can make a pet name out of pretty much any word, we do not have many separate pet names and the ones we have are a bit too syrupy for my taste. 
I hate these: *зайка */zayka/ - little hare; *котик */kotik/ - little cat; any animal+diminutive suffix. 
These are OK: *любимый */liubimyi/ - beloved one; *солнышко */solnyshko/ - little sun.

I like BR "lovey", I imagine that's what a sweet grandma would say.


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## Trix19

rusita preciosa said:


> Since the Russians can make a pet name out of pretty much any word, we do not have many separate pet names and the ones we have are a bit too syrupy for my taste.
> I hate these: *зайка */zayka/ - little hare; *котик */kotik/ - little cat; any animal+diminutive suffix.
> These are OK: *любимый */liubimyi/ - beloved one; *солнышко */solnyshko/ - little sun.
> 
> I like BR "lovey", I imagine that's what a sweet grandma would say.



I love little cat and little sun. I used to dislike the sweet syrupy ones but I tend to really like hearing them now. The ones you said are difficult to translate sound interesting - I love finding things we don't have in English. It looks from the Wiki link like you have a lot of subtle differences we don't have in English and only use tone to convey.

Animal names seem to be popular everywhere, it's interesting how some of them are used as pet names and some derogatory. And possibly sometimes in a place between the two - when someone uses one in a way that suggests both a desire to take care of somebody and also the hint that they're unable to, or of lesser intelligence.

It does seem that "Love" is used more commonly here, but there are slight differences in similar names the other way round too. I'm not sure but I think in the U.S. "Sweetie" is used more commonly amongst friends than here, as well as couples.


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## arielipi

Hebrew:
we use a lot of suffixes in names to show affection/likeness.


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## 涼宮

Pet names!, Spanish specializes in the diminutive form, where virtually any noun can become a pet name in its diminutive! 

In Venezuela people tend to be very affectionate when addressing strangers, like street merchants treat you, or taxi drivers, many do it. Here the usual pet names are ''(mi) corazón'', ''mi cielo'', ''mi reina'', ''mi rey', ''mi niña/o'', ''mi amor'', ''mi vida'' which are respectively ''(my) heart'', ''my sky'', ''my king'', ''my queen'', ''my girl/boy'', ''my love'', ''my life''. Now many male street merchants call you ''my king'' if you're a boy. Some foreigners when they come here and have a Venezuelan girlfriend they get jealous or angry because many people treat women here by affectionate names, especially waiters at a bar. Then the foreigners get angry 'cause they think people are trying to flirt with their girlfriends . Mind you, here usually women use pet names with everybody whereas men tend to use them less and not with everybody. And also, primary school teachers and kindergarten teachers tend to use them a lot when addressing children.

Spanish can form the diminutive forms in a variety of ways, the usual suffixes are -ito/a, -ico/a, -illo/a (this one is more used in Spain). So, if someone is in a relationship, you can call your couple whatever you want by using the diminutive form, for example: mi amorcito, mi corazoncito, mi vida, tigresito, osito, cosito bello (lit: pretty thing), and so forth.


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## DenisBiH

涼宮 said:


> Now many male street merchants call you ''my king'' if you're a boy.



Same here in the local slang.

_Paša (moj)_ = My pasha
_Kralju_ = King
_Care_ = Emperor/tsar


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## Trix19

Thanks for the examples. "My king" is a nice one. English speakers seem to be quite limited in our (commonly used) pet names compared to a lot of places, even though we don't use the diminutive form, so you'd think there might be more. I can't quite remember where it was but someone here mentioned to me once another place in England where almost everyone calls strangers "my lovely", whether it's a male addressing a male, female to male etc. Where I am "love" is quite common, but I've never heard a male say it to another male.


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## Encolpius

DenisBiH said:


> Same here in the local slang.
> 
> _Paša (moj)_ = My pasha
> _Kralju_ = King
> _Care_ = Emperor/tsar



Quite interesting, it wouldn't work in Hungarian, neither in Czech.
My question is: don't you prefer such words in their diminutive forms? Something like kraljiću? In Czech, another Slavic language such diminutives are extremely popular what makes Czech (well, Slovak, Russian... too) very sweet...at least for me. Just like Romance languages except French....


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## Encolpius

The commonest in *Hungarian*: Arany bogaram! my golden little bug Bogárkám! Bogaracskám! my little bug Csillagom! my star Aranyom! my gold Báránykám! my little lamb Drágaságom! my darling Életem! my life Gyöngyöm! my pearl Gyöngyvirágom! my pearl-flower, ie: lilly of the valley Lelkem! my soul lelkecském! my little soul Napsugaram! my sunshine Rózsaszálam! my rose Angyalom! my angel Angyalkám! my little angel Arany virágom! my golden flower Csibém! my little chick Csillagbogaram! my star-bug  Édes csillagom! my sweet star Kicsikém! my little Tündérkém! my little fairy Cicuskám! my kitty Husom! my flesh Husikám! my little flesh Mókuska! Mókuskám! my little squirrel Édesem! my sweet Galambom! my pigeon Rubintos-gyémántom! my ruby diamond Szépségem! my beauty Szivecském! my little heart Szívemcsücske! my corner of my heart Tubicám! my little pigeon Tündérvirágom! my fairy flower Virágszálam! my flower nyuszikám! my little rabbit Kincsem! my treasure Édes kis kincsem! my sweet little treasure Egyetlenem! My only!


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## 涼宮

Encolpius, those words sound so sweet!, lovin' them!, women must melt . Any reason for using 'bug' commonly as a pet name?


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## Encolpius

Since the English word bug does not sound very sweet and it makes you think of a big ugly insect, in Hungarian, I think, the word bogár, bogárka (Bog*l*árka is also a girl name) does sound sweet and make you think of sweet little insect like ladybug....


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## mataripis

seldom used nowadays. But here are names for pet and their meanings. 1.) Bagsik (brave)   2.) Lambeng (lovely)   3.) kime'  (look innocent)  4.) ganda (beautiful)  5.) rikit (attractive)  6.) mataken ( a noisy dog)  7.) Maliksi  or  Sewal ( fast moving)  8.) batik (dotted)   9.)  Yumi (fine)    These are all Tagalog words.


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## Encolpius

mataripis said:


> seldom used nowadays. But here are names for pet and their meanings. 1.) Bagsik (brave)   2.) Lambeng (lovely)   3.) kime'  (look innocent)  4.) ganda (beautiful)  5.) rikit (attractive)  6.) mataken ( a noisy dog)  7.) Maliksi  or  Sewal ( fast moving)  8.) batik (dotted)   9.)  Yumi (fine)    These are all Tagalog words.



This topic is about what you call e.g. your girlfriend, husband, child, etc. like: Honey! My Dear! 
I really want to know what affectionate names you use in Tagalog.


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## mataripis

Encolpius said:


> This topic is about what you call e.g. your girlfriend, husband, child, etc. like: Honey! My Dear!
> I really want to know what affectionate names you use in Tagalog.


I read only the upper part sorry!  but from the given samples i wrote, no. 2/4/5/ and 9 can be used in your friends and honey, child etc.


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## DenisBiH

Encolpius said:


> Quite interesting, it wouldn't work in Hungarian, neither in Czech.
> My question is: don't you prefer such words in their diminutive forms? Something like kraljiću?



Said by a woman to a man or a parent to a child, _kraljiću _would perhaps sound ok, although it isn't used. But from one grown man to another it would sound, how should I say it, _gay_?  The same for _cariću_.

However, for some reason, _Pašice moj_ (My little pasha) does work from man to man. It does seem to have a somewhat pronounced sarcastic connotation, though.


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## apmoy70

Greek uses the fem. suffix «-ούλα» [-'ula] for constructing affectionate names of feminine origin, e.g. «ψυχούλα μου» [psi'xula mu] (my little soul), «καρδούλα μου» [kar'ðula mu] (my little heart), «αγαπούλα μου» [aɣa'pula mu] (my little love); «-ούλα» [-'ula] is a productive suffix for feminine (and masculine as «-ούλος» [-'ulos], though rarer) gender diminutives, deriving from the Byzantine feminine suffix «-ούλα» & «-ούλλα», which is a Latin loan: _"- ulla"_.
 Mothers (and grandmothers) also use a lot of «λατρεία μου» [la'tri.a mu] (my worship), «χαρά μου» [xa'ra mu] (my joy), «ζωή μου» [zo'i mu] (my life) as affectionate names when referring to their children or grandchildren (irrespective of sex).



DenisBiH said:


> Same here in the local slang.
> 
> *Paša (moj)* = My pasha
> _Kralju_ = King
> _Care_ = Emperor/tsar


I've heard it used as an affectionate nickname by the grandmother (born in 1903) of my best friend, «πασά μου» [pa'sa mu] (my pasha); my friend's family descends from Asia Minor though, (Greek Orthodox Christians of Turkey made refuges during the 1923 population exchange between Greece and Turkey) so probably it's an oriental thing. Females are named «σουλτάνα μου» [sul'tana mu] (my sultana)


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## Trix19

apmoy70 said:


> Greek uses the fem. suffix «-ούλα» [-'ula] for constructing affectionate names of feminine origin, e.g. «ψυχούλα μου» [psi'xula mu] (my little soul), «καρδούλα μου» [kar'ðula mu] (my little heart), «αγαπούλα μου» [aɣa'pula mu] (my little love); «-ούλα» [-'ula] is a productive suffix for feminine (and masculine as «-ούλος» [-'ulos], though rarer) gender diminutives, deriving from the Byzantine feminine suffix «-ούλα» & «-ούλλα», which is a Latin loan: _"- ulla"_.
> Mothers (and grandmothers) also use a lot of «λατρεία μου» [la'tri.a mu] (my worship), «χαρά μου» [xa'ra mu] (my joy), «ζωή μου» [zo'i mu] (my life) as affectionate names when referring to their children or grandchildren (irrespective of sex).
> 
> 
> I've heard it used as an affectionate nickname by the grandmother (born in 1903) of my best friend, «πασά μου» [pa'sa mu] (my pasha); my friend's family descends from Asia Minor though, (Greek Orthodox Christians of Turkey made refuges during the 1923 population exchange between Greece and Turkey) so probably it's an oriental thing. Females are named «σουλτάνα μου» [sul'tana mu] (my sultana)



Lovely contribution from you, apmoy.  How commonly is σουλτάνα μου used?


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## Perseas

Trix19 said:


> How commonly is σουλτάνα μου used?


From my experience, it is either used very rarely or it is almost extinct. On the contrary, I remember until recently having heard _πασά μου _mostly in rural regions of northern Greece. I don't think you can hear both of them in urban areas.


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## ThomasK

Dutch:* schat(je), *[my] (little) treasure...


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