According to a recent study, though about 70% or Germans use pet names, they are not very creative when it comes to their choice: 37% of those interviewed had simply chosen the common pet name Schatz; among those under 30 years of age, the percentage even went up to 63%. But what does this precious name mean? Read on and find out.
German Pet Names Loaned from the Animal Kingdom
Not surprisingly, many pet names go back to animals that are perceived as cute or cuddly. Bears, hares, sparrows and even the common mouse are popular affectionate terms for one’s loved one.
- Bär – bear [beah]
- Biene – bee [beenah]
- Hase – hare [hazeh]
- Maus – mouse [mouz]
- Spatz – sparrow [shpahts]
- Tiger – tiger [teegah]
Though all of the above nouns are fine affectionate terms on their own, in German, a diminutive ending can be added as well. This can either be -i or -chen:
- Bärchen – little bear [beahien]
- Bienchen – little bee [beanhien]
- Häschen/Hasi – little hare [hazhien]
- Mäuschen/Mausi – little mouse [moizhien]
- Spätzchen/Spatzi – little sparrow [shpatshien]
Popular German Pet Names
Then, there’s a variety of pet names that are the German equivalents of common English words of love like darling, angel, etc.
- Engel – angel [n:gal]
- Knuddel – cuddly one [knooddal]
- Liebling – darling [leaplink]
- Herz – heart [he:ahts]
- Prinzessin – princess [printsezin]
- Schatz – treasure [shuts]
- Schnuckiputz – cutie pie [shnookeepoots]
- Süße/Süßer – cutie (fem./masc.) [suzah]
- Zaubermaus – magic mouse [tsoubahmouz]
And, not hard to guess, all these terms – except for Liebling that already includes the diminutive -ling, can be modified either with the suffix -i or -chen.
- Engelchen – little angel [n:galhien]
- Knuddelchen – little cuddly one [knooddalhien]
- Herzchen/Herzi – little heart [he:ahtshien/he:atsee]
- Schätzchen/Schatzi – little treasure [shetshien]
- Schnucki – cutie – [shnookee]
Popular German Pet Names for Boyfriend and Girlfriend
Though most of the affectionate terms above are gender neutral, some tend to be associated more with one of the genders. Bär or Bärchen and Tiger are usually used for men, whereas Biene or Bienchen and Maus, Mäuschen or Maus are usually used for women.
Which ones of the German pet names above are the most popular among lovers? That’s what students of German at the University of Augsburg wondered too. They asked more than 1000 Germans and found out that Schatz and its many variations like Schätzchen, Schatzi, Schätzelchen, Schätzelein are still the most popular pet names. Hase, Liebling, Schnuckel and Mausi followed – in that particular order.
Though pet names are popular and widely used among couples, care should be taken when in public: In any language, pet names are usually private and should not be used in every situation - or else embarrassment might ensue.
Readers interested in this article may also like to know how to pronounce German first names and last names, learn survival phrases in German or German language phrases for beginners or wish happy birthday in German.
Simone Preuss - Simone is a freelance writer, editor and translator who decided to go solo after a successful career in publishing. That was more than ...
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