Forget ‘darling’ and ‘sweetie’ its now all about the ‘bro’ and ‘bae’

Forget “darling” and “sweetie”, new research of under 30-year-olds has revealed that Gen Z are ditching outdated pet names, which they deem to be old school…

According to the findings from Coca-Cola, “treacle” (38 percent), and “chick” (35 percent) are off the cards as they are old fashioned and outdated, along with “sugar” (31 percent), “old man” (30 percent), and “hon” (29 percent). Almost a third (28 percent) of under 30s would never dream of using “muffin” or “bubba” (28 percent), while a quarter (25 percent) dislike the term “duck”.

It’s no surprise that three quarters (77 percent) of modern Brits think that the style of nicknames has changed over the years. When it comes to ‘modern terms of affection’, Gen Z are embracing a whole new vocabulary with “bro” (53 percent), “mate” (44 percent), and “bestie” (35 percent) proving the most popular, along with “friend” (29 percent) and “bae” (28 percent).

One in four (24  percent) love spending time with their “fam”, while one in five (17 percent) dote on their “queen”. Other modern pet names include “day one” (13 percent), “king” (12  percent), “shawty” (11 percent), “squad” (10 percent), “sugarplum” (10 percent) and “family” (10 percent) which all make the top 20 list.

Pete Beale in EastEnders often used the term ‘treacle’ / BBC Elstree

The research reveals that nicknames play a crucial part of Gen Z friendships with 42 percent admitting that they feel happy and loved (38 percent) when they are called by their nickname. One in five (20 percent) say it makes them feel an important part of their friendship group, while one in ten (12 percent) admit that it makes them feel secure.

With modern Brits having an average of three pet names, more than half (56 percent) admit they prefer being called by their nickname rather than their real name. Over a quarter (28 percent) got their pet name from an inside joke, 21 percent say it is based on their personality and a further 12 percent were given it because of a particular character trait. No matter where they come from, or where they are used, a whopping 93 percent of young Brits believe that nicknames are a way of showing affection.

And these names are not just for personal situations anymore – 15 percent have been called theirs in front of their boss, while 26 percent have been called their pet name in front of colleagues.

Charlotte Butt, Senior Marketing Manager from Coca-Cola™:

“Nicknames are more than just labels; they’re a shorthand for shared history, inside jokes and personal connections. They reflect the unique relationships between individuals and the evolution of language within friendship groups, that’s why we made sure to include terms of affection in our “Share a Coke” range.”

 Pet names are not the only way Brits care for their friends, buying gifts is also a keyway that modern Brits show support (37 percent), alongside everything from spending quality time together (41 percent), sharing daily pep talks (52 percent) or even a steady stream of hilarious memes (four percent).

Del Boy often greeted ladies with ‘alright sweetheart’ in Only Fools and Horses / BBC PR

When it comes to the type of gifts – three quarters (74 percent) opt for personalised ones because it is more thoughtful (65 percent), feels more authentic (39 percent) and is an easy way to show that you care (38 percent).

In fact, getting a gift with their name on it makes Brits feel valued (60 percent), thought about (50 percent), appreciative of the time spent choosing the gift (36 percent) and closer to their friends (24 percent) – almost nine in ten (89 percent) get excited to see something with their own name on it.

With the popularity of this in mind and with nicknames and personalisation being a key part of Gen Z friendships, Coca-Cola has bought back “Share a Coke” with the option for customers to create a can with any name of their choice be it a nickname, first name or surname – simply scan the QR code on pack or instore from May 15^th, to create a truly unique Coca-Cola pack.

Alongside the much-loved name personalisation available, for the first time, Brits will be able to choose from a range of other nicknames and phrases around friendship, such as “My Bestie”, “My Bae”, “My Mate”, “My Fam” and “My Day One”.

Look for personalised Coca-Cola packs in store across this month.