Hello, chers amis! If you want to make your sweetheart melt or embarrass the hell out of your kids, instead of calling them sweetheart, snookums or honey bunny, try out one of these cute French terms of endearment and French pet names for men, women, and children. I've also listed a few dirty French nicknames towards the end.
If you're looking for actual French pet names for your cat and not pet names for people, check out this post I did...
If you're looking for actual French girl names, check out this post.
101 Cute, Quirky, and Romantic French Terms of Endearment (and a few naughty ones too)
Hey baby,
let's talk about terms of endearment, sometimes referred to as "pet names" or "nicknames."
Those sweet words of affection people use to address their boyfriend, girlfriend, wife, husband, friends, children, loved ones and even pets.
In the English language, there are many cute terms of endearment and nicknames such as "honey bunny," "sweetheart," "pumpkin," "baby," "buddy," and "dude," to name a few.
French terms of endearment = "Les surnoms" (nicknames) or "petits nom d'amour" (little love names.)
The French language has just as many, if not more equally cute, romantic, quirky and even dirty French nicknames, love names, pet names, and terms of endearment.
Some French terms of endearment translate to English word for word like "mon ange" which means "my angel". Sounds cute doesn't it?
Others French nicknames won't sound as cute to a non-native French speaker such as "mon chou" which can either mean "MY CABBAGE or my "CREAM PUFF PASTRY."
It may sound strange to you but, calling someone "pumpkin" sounds weird to a French person, but not to a French person because it's a very common and affectionate way to talk to a child or even your partner.
How this list of French terms of endearment is organized.
In this article, I'll list some of the more common and interesting terms of endearment in French as well as less common ones.
I've tried to organize the French nicknames and pet names into meaningful categories such as cute nicknames for a boyfriend, animal related French terms of endearment, or commonly said to a woman, but most can be used for both males and females, such as "mon coeur" (my heart.)
Needless to say, you probably shouldn't use the raunchy ones at the end of this article on children.
If you're looking for some French names for girls, check out this article...
HOW TO USE
this list of 101 French terms of endearment every day:
Go through this list and write down the French terms of endearment and pet names that you like.
Then simply replace someone's name with one the French pet name.
Examples and literal meaning
For example: Instead of saying hello + someone's name, you could say the following.
- Bonjour mon amour (Hello my love).
- Bonjour ma belle (Hello my beautiful).
- Bonjour mon Coeur (Hello my heart).
- Where are you ma cocotte? (Where are you my casserole?)
(1-10)
Top 10 most common or popular French terms of endearment
The following 10 French nicknames are some of the more common ones in France.
French Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
1) Mon Chou: | Literally my cabbage but "chou" can also refer to a French cream-puff called "Chou Chantilly". |
2) ChouChou: | Cabbage Cabbage or Cream puff cream puff |
3) Mon ange: | My angel |
4) Mon bébé: | My baby |
5) Mon cœur: | My heart |
6) Mon Doudou: | My blanky or my cuddly thing |
7) Mon trésor: | My Treasure |
8) Mon chéri: | Say to males: My darling; implies love. You can say this to your lover or to little boys. |
9) Ma chérie: | Say to females: My darling; implies love. You can say this to your lover or to little girls. |
10) Ma puce: |
My flea (this is quite popular with parents for boys and girls) |
Mon cher / Ma Chère:
vs
Mon Chéri / Ma Chèrie
Don't confuse Mon Cher and Ma Chère with Mon chéri and Ma chérie.
Cher/Chère
Mon Cher and Ma Chère are more formal than Mon chéri and Ma chérie.
French people RARELY use Cher / Chère "ami(e)," or “Cher / Chère + "name” to address a friend.
Cher / Chère do not imply love and is not intimate or romantic. It's used to show respect and consideration.
They can be used in a conversation, in correspondence and in letters just as you would write "dear john."
Examples:
- Ma chère cousine vient d’arriver (my dearest cousin just arrived)
- Chers amis, je vous remercie de votre présence aujourd’hui. (Dear friends, thank you for being here today.)
- Bonjour ma chère (Hello my dear) said to a woman.
- Bonjour mon cher (Hello my dear) said to a man.
Chéri/Chèrie
Chéri and Chèrie are more intimate, tender and used as a French term of endearment to someone you know very well, love, or care deeply for.
It's meaning is closer to my darling.
Examples:
- Veux-tu boire un verre ce soir chérie? (Do you want to have tonight darling?)
- Bonjour chèrie (Hello dear) said to a woman.
- Bonjour chér (Hello dear) said to a man.
(11 - 20)
French Terms Of Endearment for:
HIM, HER or THE KIDS
You can use these French pet names to address your boyfriend, girlfriend, kids, husband, wife and maybe a very close friend.
They all generally have the same meaning as "honey," "sweetie," or "darling." I personally would not use these on your parents or co-workers.
French Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
11.) Mon biquet: | My lamb |
12.) Mon canard: | My duck |
13.) Mon colibri: | My hummingbird |
14.) Mon lapin: | My rabbit |
15.) Mon Lapinou: | My bunny |
16.) Mon Minou: | My kitty |
17.) Mon poussin: | My chick (as in baby chick) |
18.) Mon sucre d'orge: | My barley sugar, candy cane |
19.) Mon trognon: |
My apple core or fruit core |
20.) Mamours: |
contraction of "mon amour" to mean "my love" |
(21 - 38)
French Terms Of Endearment for:
MEN or BOYS
Here are a few French nicknames you can call your boyfriend or husband but also your son's.
My favourite on this list is "Mon LouLou."
Again, these all have the general meaning of sweetie, hun or darling.
French Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
21) Mon Petit Chou: | My little cabbage |
22) Mon Beau: | My handsome |
23) Mon Loup: | My wolf |
24) Mon Nounours: | My Teddy Bear Or Plushy |
25) Mon Ours: | My Bear |
26) Mon Petit Caneton: | My Little Duckling |
27) Mon Poulet: | My Chicken |
28) Mon Rêleur: | My Grumpy Or Complainer |
29) Mon Homme: |
My Man |
30) Mon Loulou: |
My Pomeranian ( Cute, Cuddly And Carried Around) |
31) Mon Lutin: |
My Elf |
32) Mon Vieux: |
My Old One (but closer in meaning to Big Guy) |
33) Mon Bébé D'amour: |
My Love Baby |
34) Mon Bibou: |
Means Nothing Like "Smoopy Poop" |
35) Mon Grand: |
My big (this common term idiomatically means "big boy" |
36) Mon Petit Monstre: |
My Little Monstre (Great For The Kids) |
37) Mon Vilain: |
My Naughty One (Another Good One For The Kids) |
38) Mon Bibou: |
Nonsensical like "Smoopy Poop" |
(39 - 48)
Cute Animal French Terms Of Endearment to Call:
WOMEN AND LITTLE GIRLS
Many French nicknames involve animals such as my little butterfly or ladybug. Here are some of my favourite.
French Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
39) Ma coccinelles | My ladybug |
40) Ma colombe | My dove |
41) Ma crevette | My shrimp |
42) Ma poule | My chicken |
43) Ma tigresse | My tigress |
44) Mon papillon | My butterfly |
45) Ma biche | My doe, as in do a dear |
46) Ma bichette | Derived from biche (doe) |
47) Ma bibiche |
Derived from biche (doe) |
48) Ma caille |
My quail |
(49 - 65)
Tender French Terms Of Endearment to Call:
WOMEN AND GIRLS
French Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
49) Ma truffe | My |
50) Ma choupinette | mainly used when addressing a little girl |
51) Ma cocotte | My casserole |
52) Ma douce | My sweet |
53) Ma loulotte | No translation |
54) Ma lutine | My elf, or maybe pixie |
55) Ma pepette |
My money |
56) Ma petite sirène |
My little mermaid |
57) Ma mie |
Not the crust but the soft white part of bread |
58) Ma princesse |
My princess |
59) Mon bijou |
My jewel |
60) Ma belle |
My pretty like the Beatles song "Michelle, ma belle" |
61) Ma bohème |
My bohemian |
62) Ma rêleuse |
My grumpy or my complainer |
63) Ma fée |
My fairy |
64) Ma poupée |
My little doll |
65) Ma poupette |
derived from poupée, my dolly |
(66 - 93)
Romantic French Terms Of Endearment that can can also be used affectionately with children.
The following French terms of endearment and nicknames can be used romantically with someone you're involved with as well as affectionately with kids in a very lovey dovey way.
For instance, "Mon Amour" which means my love can be used both romantically with your boyfriend as well as with little children.
French Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
66) Mon Amour | My love (this is extremely popular) |
67) Mon Amoureux | My lover ( not sexual. Can say to children means my love |
68) Ma raison de vivre | My reason for living |
69) Mon étoile | My star |
70) Mon destin | My destiny |
71) Ma force | My strength |
72) Mon ciel étoilé | My starry sky |
73) L'amour de ma vie | Love of my life |
74) Ma passion | My passion |
75) Mon indispensable | My essential or indispensable one |
76) Mon rève | My dream |
77) Mon préféré | My preferred |
78) Mon désir | My desire |
79) Ma perfection | My perfection |
80) Ma foi | My faith |
81) Ma raison d'ètre | My reason for living My reason for being |
82) Mon prince | My prince |
83) Mon Roméo | My Romeo |
84) Mon superman | My superman |
85) Mon bonheur | My happiness |
86) Mon Essentiel | My essential |
87) Mon avenir | My future |
88) Mon Exception | My exception |
89) Mon rayon de soleil | My ray of sunshine |
90) Ma pomme d’amour | My apple of love |
(91-101)
WARNING!
French terms of endearment you may find
STRANGE, NAUGHTY OR RISQUÉ
USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!
Les surnoms coquins
Dirty French nicknames and terms of endearment
I saved the best or worst for last, depending on how you look at it.
The following French terms of endearment will probably sound raunchy or dirty to you.
Nevertheless, they are terms of endearment some French people use.
French Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
91) Ma coquine | My naughty |
92) Mon p’tit cul | Diminutive form of "petit cul", little ass  |
93) Ma Lolita | Ma Lolita has the same connotation in French & English: You girl who is precocious and seductive |
94) Ma grosse | My fat one.  |
95) Ma crotte | Literally means my turd. Belgians use this to refer to their women, like Ma chérie 
|
96) Ma quequette | A childish or cute name for a penis, like willy. A friend of mine, who is a woman sometimes calls me this. weird right? 
|
97) Ma nénette | Nénette can mean slut but can also mean chick or broad. Salope can also mean slut but, here it can also mean "My Bitch" 
|
98) Ma chatte | Be careful! This means pussy cat and, it has the same double meaning in English "pussy". 
|
99) Ma couille |
Literally means my testicle, but young men use it to refer to their friends, like "hey dickhead", only it would be "hey testicle. 
|
100) Mon petit poil de cul |
Literally means "my little butt hair." I found this on a French forum from someone who said she calls her boyfriend this. 
|
101) Mon dieu de sexe |
My sex god. Don't use in public unless you want to perk up someone's ears. 
|
LA FIN!
There you have it mes chèrs.
There are probably 100's more French terms of endearment that I could have included but this French vocabulary should take you a while to memorize.
