When someone you don't know or barely know assigns you a pet name or endearment, does get under your skin?

I'm not talking about when an elderly person refers to you as Dear...probably because they've forgotten your name.

I'm not talking about the lady at the register or DMV who calls everyone Sugar...probably to avoid using the word Ma'am.

To me Baby, Sugar, Sweetheart and Darling, and the like, are endearments reserved for family, dearest friends and intimate partners. I guess to me their use is more of a right to be earned.

What say you?

thanks 4 letting us know

Im more of a context gal. Words in the English language have many different uses. I try to determine the context in which the word is used. If it is a punctuation or endearing term for them, I take it the same and it doesn't bother me.

I usually call the persons by their name, it doesn’t matter if it’s a close friend or a stranger

I don't find it amusing when someone call me babe or sweet heart on their first email...

Well Babycakes, I would much rather suffer an endearment
than something like 'Yo, biotch' whereas, in writing, say
on a dating site, that might work where 'Baby' simply
will not.

'Baby' probably should be earned :-)

You got me rotfwl!! I've been getting a lot of that from the Asians & at first, it felt strange but now Im used to it. It's funny how you put it.

It depends on who the person is.. if it's from the person that I like or if it's from the person who treats me with respect.. that's okay

If I don't like the person or if the person is just playing.. I hate it..

I don't reply them when i receive such. Not for me

I became used to it after joining dating sites but I rarely reply in pm too.. I only like 1 person calling me that.. he's a special friend he calls me dear or baby girl sometimes...

For others, I hate it

Absolutely ! otherwise it implies an intimacy that not's there

To me the term,"baby" used as an endearment or show of affection seems so cheesy especially hearing it in so many cheesy love songs. I am surprised the term is not seen as out of date or not in vogue for the 21st Century. It is due to the term being so over used it is assumed by many that it is a trendy way of addressing a person you may like. The trouble is with using this term makes someone appear that they lack personality and refer to buzz terms like baby as a substitute personality trait.

Okay baby, good to know
<joking>

calm yo tvvts, doll...
evrything is gonna be alright. i can tell.

It is very irritating and I usually correct them on the spot ( unless it is a old person). I don't like being called chief, cus, bro, boss or any other off the shelf name. And where I where I come from you never address someone by only their last name, it is a insult, as in talking down to them. If you are going to do that it better have a Mr. in front of it or you are not going to get a pleasant reply.

you call me by my first name or you call me Mr.------... that's it.

Calling you by your first name is better.. if it's your last name it will be too formal

I spent 7 years active duty in the military.
Last names were their names and what would make you think last names is disrespectful? You have no pride in your family name?
There are people I knew in the service ONLY by their last names.

The only thing that gets my goat about names is when someone younger than me tries to call me 'son'. There was only one person that ever had the right to call me son and he's dead.

everything else is just 'meh', whatever.

Well, I'm not in the military anymore Tom, when I was it was accepted from ranks about me. But I did not like it from my own rank and never from ranks below me.
What I said was in my area it is disrespectful to call someone by their last name, and it is like talking down to them. On the job site if I yell out " hey, Smith, get over here" it is as though I am putting him down. If I yell " hey John, get over here" it is thought as acceptable.

Could just be a regional thing, but it is a real thing.

Show of hands; who is from the southern states?

Don't come here if these names twist yur tvvt'ss... I use hun for women I see often at the store, or I use ma'am regardless of age if I don't know them, sometimes dear..

I also can't understand the shallowness of a lot of you

Okay, regional, yeah, that's it.

When I was managing shops I used first names, nicknames and last names depending on how serious the communication was.

I called people to the office by their last name
I talked with them in an official capacity one on one using their first name
While on break or just joking around I used their nicknames.
It kept the focus on the task at hand.

Last name = official capacity
First name = personal official capacity
Nickname - non-official

On the few times I was required to reprimand or set a standard officially, I used first and last name together.

"Johnathan Doe, You are being reprimanded for tardiness, one more tardy and you will be given 3 days off without pay. After that, one more tardy means termination. Johnathan Doe, do you understand this directive? Sign your full name on this line and date it please."