Couples Who Do This Together Have Stronger Relationships

But is it cute or cringe? - by Lucy Bode

There are two types of couples in this world: those who love pet names and use them to show their affection for each other at every opportunity, and those who look a little like this as soon as a ‘darl’ is dropped:

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But as it turns out, there’s a pretty good reason to add them to your vocab: terms of endearment actually indicate you and your partner have a strong bond.

U.K health service Superdrug Online Doctor surveyed more than 1,020 people between the ages of 20 and 71. They found that a whopping 87 per cent of Americans refer to their S.O using pet names, and of those couples, 16 per cent were more likely to be satisfied with their relationship. The most popular choices were ‘cutie,’ ‘princess,’ and ‘honey,’ while ‘sweet cheeks,’ ‘papi,’ and ‘daddy,’ were the least favourable choices.

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So how does it work exactly, you ask?

Well, apparently, pet names foster a sense of intimacy and boost your emotional connection.

“Under the right circumstances, pet names aren’t just a cute way to get your partner’s attention,” wrote the team. “They can be a sign you’ve gotten comfortable enough with each other to develop a love language.”

Lucy Bode

Lucy is WH’s Digital Editor, Features Writer, social media guru and resident woo. A long black lover and foodie at heart, she considers peanut butter an hourly staple and believes chardonnay is the superior drop. When she's not at the beach, barre or yoga studio you'll find her coming up with new and improved ways to kill her unkillable houseplants