What Does It Mean When A Guy Calls You Babe? 13 Possible Reasons

You met a guy, and liked how you felt about yourself with him. Over a period of time, you grew fond of each other, started hanging out, and would stay connected through calls or texts all day long. One fine day, he texts you, “Babe, can I call you in a while?” and you are perplexed. The questions that hover over you are: When you are not dating, what does it imply when a guy calls you babe? Should only significant others call each other that? And the biggest question of all – can you start calling him babe too?

If we believe research conducted by Superdrug Online Doctor, which surveyed 1026 Europeans and Americans, it concluded that 35% of them consider ‘babe’ to be the most hated term of endearment. Even then, it is intriguing to know that when a guy calls you babe, does he like you romantically?

When Do Guys Start Calling Someone Babe?

Usually, terms of endearment are used between two partners who are ready to share something exclusive between them. When a guy calls you babe, it could also be when:

• He holds a certain level of attachment to you, even if it is as a friend
• He wants to act cool around you
• He wants to consider a future with you
• He is interested in you sexually
• He has known you for a while

Related Reading: How Guys Text When They Like You?

Eva, a fashion student at a reputed college, shared with us, “Recently, my crush called me babe! I wasn’t really sure if I should take a step forward in our dynamic before that, but now I know. It means that we’ve become close enough to share pet names. Once you reach that stage, it just gets cuter by the day.”

What does ‘babe’ mean from a guy who you’re not dating though? Using terms of endearment are also considered to be a sign of care and love in a platonic setting.

What Does It Mean When A Guy Calls You Babe? 13 Possible Meanings

I’m sure, romantically, it is acceptable to be called babe by your significant other but when a guy calls you babe (and you’re not dating), you wonder, “Does he like me or is it just a momentary slip that he didn’t even realize?”
While it is perplexing, one should not jump to conclusions when a guy calls you babe just once. Here are 13 possible reasons behind his choice of words:

1. He likes you

You told your best friend, “He calls me babe but we’re not together. So what do you think? When a guy calls you babe, does he like you?” The instant reaction you received from them was “Yep, he likes you”. Often pet names are given to people we like in order to show our care and love toward them. If you are wondering if he likes you romantically, well, you cannot eliminate the possibility completely.

2. He is drawn to you sexually

He’s trying to convey his intentions toward you. Sexual attraction is one of the key considerations for this term of endearment in this scenario. It might also be a way of telling you how attractive you look to him. He might want to spend time with you but not with the intention of getting involved with you romantically.

3. When a guy calls you babe over text – he is flirting with you

He desires to win you over and thinks that calling you babe over text will make things easier. It is a smooth gateway toward intimacy and he wishes to make you feel closer to him. This could be an expression of intimacy, yes, or it could just be playful flirting between two people who are comfortable around each other.

Related Reading: What Are Body Language Signs That He Secretly Likes You?

4. It is a way of complimenting you OR harassing you

Sometimes when a guy calls you babe, it can be his way of complimenting your looks. If you dressed up for an occasion and heard him say, “Wow, you look like a total babe”, then he might mean the word as a compliment.
Of course, there are men who catcall you and call you babe and think it’s a ‘compliment’ too. There’s a very obvious difference between a genuine compliment and sexual harassment. Most of the time, you’ll know which is which.

5. To let others know what you mean to him

You wonder, what does babe mean from a guy? Sometimes, the word can imply that you ‘belong’ to someone. Well, if he starts calling you babe in front of his friends, just know that this is a sign your casual relationship is getting serious.

When a guy calls you babe and doesn’t care who hears it, it simply means that you are really special to him. It could be a way of marking his territory too. See how he behaves with you to understand his true intention. It could be sweet or predatory.

6. He is in love with you

When a guy calls you babe over text and then switches to calling you babe in person, and starts adding caring physical gestures in your conversations as well, then he might be planning to stay in your life and could be in love with you.

“My crush called me babe, but I’m unsure if he’s interested in me sexually, or rather loves me since he has also been very sweet to me recently,” Ginny, a 26-year-old proprietor, shared with us. Honestly, if ‘babe’ is preceded with extra attention and sweet little nothings from him, then it might be a sign that he is in love with you.

7. He is teasing you

Whether he’s a friend or a partner, if he knows how much you hate terms of endearment like baby, babe, sweetheart, cutie, etc., then it is just his way of teasing you. The more annoyed you get every time he uses these words, the more encouraged he is to keep calling you babe.

8. He means you’re sweet

Imagine this: You just got him tickets for a movie with his favorite actor. He immediately goes, “Aww, you’re such a babe, thank you!” This is just a way to tell you that you are adorable and that he liked such a thoughtful gesture. For your partner, this is a sign you like them and can make them blush.

9. He thinks you are ‘easy’

When a guy calls you babe over text or in person, there are chances that he might find you sexually forward. He thinks it’s okay to call you babe because of how he perceives your free expression of sexuality. So according to him, it’s okay to cross certain boundaries. Guys also call those women ‘babe’ whom they find promiscuous.

10. “Babe, it’s just a habit”

When a guy calls you babe often and out of habit, remind yourself that it does not mean anything. Especially when you see that the guy isn’t serious about you. He does not consider calling someone ‘babe’ a big deal.

11. He’s worried about you and is trying to comfort you

Sometimes, when we worry about people, we tend to be gentle with them and choose to say things that sound comforting to them. As per some men, ‘babe’ is one such word of comfort.

Related Reading: Are You Unknowingly Flirting? How To Know?

12. He calls every girl ‘babe’

‘Macho’ guys believe that calling a girl babe is a cool thing to do. When a good-looking girl walks down the street, he’ll call her babe too. He might pretend to be a nice guy but is simply a casanova in disguise. For him, calling a girl ‘babe’ is a manly thing to do. It’s a sad, sexist habit.

13. He’s a close friend

Guys often do not say much, but such overtones are their silent way of expressing what you mean to them. Calling you ‘babe’ is how they express they like you as a friend and feel close to you. There might be a possibility that a commitment phobe loves you.

While there can be a lot of reasons for him to call you babe, the most obvious ones have been laid out for you. Now, the question is, what should one do when a guy calls you babe?

How To Respond When The Guy Calls You Babe?

Here are the different ways in which you can react when a guy calls you babe:

• If you do not like it, tell him firmly that you would not entertain being referred to in such a manner
• You may even choose to ignore it initially or act casually around it by not making a big deal out of his words
• If you don’t like this specific term of endearment but are okay with others, you may politely say, “I understand that you call me babe out of love, but try something else for it rubs me off the wrong way” or “I like how you give me cute nicknames, but could you try to avoid calling me babe? It sounds very odd to me”
• If you love it and want to encourage this habit, you can call him babe too

There are many ways to respond when a guy calls you babe, but choose what seems apt to you. Also, rather than assuming, it is better to first ask him why he has shifted to calling you cute nicknames. Alright? You got this, babe.

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