80 Cute Nicknames for Your Girlfriend She’ll Absolutely Love

Being in love can unlock even the mushiest behaviors within us; the kind your single self swore you would never (could never!) feel the urge to engage in. But when it comes to matters of the heart, all bets are off. One minute you’re swiping on dating apps “just for fun,” the next you’re writing a several-paragraphs-long Instagram caption for your partner’s birthday, or at least fighting the urge to declare your love for them from the rooftops to anyone who’ll listen. It’s this same romantic compulsion that makes it so easy to come up with cute nicknames for your girlfriend. Like, of course you want to call her Ladybug Petunia—she is a Ladybug Petunia!

Naturally, everyone’s a little different when it comes to what they want or like in relationships. Maybe your girlfriend hates nicknames, and that’s okay! Respect her wishes to be called by her name, especially if she tells you so directly. But if they love affection and the fact that you’re so into them you can’t even fathom calling them by their real name, embrace the cringe! Lean into it! Romance is fun and commitment doesn’t have to be so serious. The nicknames list we put together below is here to serve as inspiration for the moment you realize just that.

Last but not least, remember there’s a time and place for everything. Perhaps refrain from Ladybug Petunia (or anything adjacent) in professional settings, like, say, your girlfriend’s company Christmas party! Perhaps you two prefer to show affection in private, which is also okay. Ultimately whatever nicknames you use for each other are between you two, anyway.

If you're in need of a little internet inspiration, below you'll find 80 cute nicknames to call your girlfriend, partner, wife, or lover below—whether she’s food-obsessed, a plant mom, a pop-culture nerd, or just the cutest love bug on earth.

Her favorite cheese. Is she a gouda gobbler? A feta fiend? A cheddar chomper? Whatever cheese she reaches for will make for an adorable nickname. Or you could go the weird route and call her something like “sweet cheese” if she’s into that, too.
Kiwi. Has there ever been a cuter fruit? I don’t think so.
Corn muffin. Any kind of muffin will do, but there’s something about a corn muffin that’s just so cozy and homey. Slather her up in some butter and you’ve got yourself a delicious treat!
Honey pie. Again, any kind of pie will work here, but “honey pie” is extra sweet. Swap in “honey cakes” when you’re feeling a little more… saucy.
Pancake/Waffle. Someone’s having breakfast for dinner tonight!
Jellybean. Who doesn’t love a little sugar every now and then?
Butterbean. “Bean” is just kind of an adorable word, is it not?
Honeydew. Because “Melon” doesn’t have much of a ring to it.
Banana. She doesn’t even have to be named Hannah for this cute nickname to work!
Strawberry shortcake. This dessert is pure bliss, just like being with your GF. Extra points if she’s actually short, I guess?
Peaches. Like the Princess, and the song Bowser sings in the Mario movie. It's romantic!
Marshmallow. When she's soft and squishy and squeezable, it's perfect.
Sugar. Because she's sweet, like sugar!
Dumpling. You just wanna eat her up, like a cute chewy dumpling.
Peanut. When she's your adorable lil' peanut!
Babycakes. It's a classic!
Cheesecake. So cute.
Honey. Classic and simple—you could call her this forever.

Bunny. Bunnies are cute and so is your GF!
Kitten. Rawr, tiger.
Pup or Puppy. Only use if she’s been a very good girl. *wink wink*
Chicken. “Chick” is sexist. “Chicken”? Now that’s just adorable.
Bear. There are lots of variations on the bear nickname, but sometimes straight up “Bear” works on its own!
Bug. She’s cute as a bug.
Ladybug. For when she’s a dainty lil bug.
Angelfish. Ever notice how kissy faces and fishy faces are awfully similar?
Monkey. She’s cute, she’s silly, she loves to pick fleas out of your hair. She’s your monkey and you love her for it.
Lion cub. But only if she’s feisty.
Unicorn. Not a real animal, but shows her she's other-worldly perfect.
Baby elephant. For when she's the cutest but also a little clumsy.
Fox. Get it? She's foxy!
Birdie. Like: "If you're a bird I'm a bird." From The Notebook!
Golden Retriever. For the girl that's always in good spirits and just wants to have fun with you.

Buttercup. An absolute classic. This one doubles as a Princess Bride reference, too!
Sweet Pea. Delicate, tasteful; you can’t go wrong with this one.
Prickly Pear. One of the world’s cutest cacti, by far. But watch out! She bites!
Daffodil.There are so many variations you could make on this one, like “Daff,” “Daffy,” or “Dill.”
Tulip. For your cute little Dutch queen.
Poppy. Vibrant and iconic!
Petunia. Yes, this was the name of John Mulaney’s French bulldog, but it can also be the name you call your sweet GF when you wake up and kiss her on the nose in the morning.
Ferny. Who doesn’t love a fern?
Lily. Unless her name is already Lily, in which case, pick some other beautiful, fragrant flower.
Fiddle Leaf. If she’s a plant mom, she’ll appreciate this.
Daisy. If she reminds you of a pretty little spring daisy, this one's perf.
Chrysanthemum. It's big of a tongue twister but if you can say it correctly, it's beautiful.
Sunflower. When she's bright and tall and makes you happy when you look at her.
Iris. Like the Goo Goo Dolls song, and when your girl is elegant and sophisticated.
Dandelion. For when they remind you of those little flowers you picked from the grass as a kiddo.

Pop-culture nicknames

Lady Bridgerton. Ooo, she fancy, huh? Throw some respect on that name with this posh Bridgerton reference.
Princess Consuela Banana Hammock. The immortal words of Phoebe Buffay will live on as your new nickname for your Friends-obsessed girlfriend.
Two Boobs Johnson. Remember when Jess from New Girl was trying to come up with her stripper name and she landed on “Two Boobs Johnson”? This nickname works for any couples who love to laugh.
Dragon Mother. For non-Game of Thrones fans, this one may not make any sense. But IYKYK. Mother may I!
Ratatouille. The only thing cuter than a cartoon rat who loves to cook is your GF.
Lobster. Another Friends reference, but this time it’s Phoebe’s knee-buckling-ly cute description of Ross and Rachel as mates for life. Awww.
Mamma Mia. Next stop? Honeymoon in Greece.
McDreamy. Yes, this Grey’s Anatomy nickname originated as a man’s name, but your GF is dreamy AF. Let her know!
Bucket Hat. If she wears lots of bucket hats, this niche Emily in Paris reference is a major plus.
Eggo. Adorable nickname on its own, but Stranger Things fans will swoon even harder.
Stitch. Like the rambunctious lil' blue Disney alien, of course.
Bluey. I mean, she's kind of the cutest cartoon on TV right now, no?
Googly Bear. Like what Celia called Mike Wazowski in Monsters Inc.
Tinkerbell. Tough, cute, and maybe even tiny like the classic Peter Pan fairy.
Sassy Smurf. A reference to both the silly cartoon *and* Ted Lasso, IYKYK.
Lover. Sexy and a T.Swift reference!

Random nicknames that are still v cute.

Bubba. An upgrade on the classic “Babe” or “Baby.”
Love bug. Bordering on cringey, but still super sweet.
Honeybear. Father John Misty said it best: “‘Cause I loooove you, Honeybear.”
DJ *insert name here*. Funny, flirty, and thriving.
Bangs McGee. For when her bangs are bangin’.
Doll. "Doll face” is retro in a cringe way. “Doll” is retro in a sweet way.
Stud. Yes, your GF is a total stud. Let her know.
Hot mama. Best used with a tinge of irony.
Pumpkin. Delicious and nutritious.
Freestyle with it! Rhyme something with her name and then shorten it and rhyme something with that. DIY done right.
My other half. You need romantic nicknames in your rolodex, too.
Sunshine. Use this one if she's always in a happy, sunny mood.
Milady. It's corny, but if you say it with a smile, it's also a classic.
Dream Girl. I mean, she's the girl of your dreams, isn't she?
Baby Doll. Adorable.
Babe/baby/bebe. Easy and classic—popular for a reason!