Recycled Nicknames

[iheartrashmi]

My boyfriend and I have been together for 8 months now. His grandfather is Greek, yet he himself doesn't speak the language. Prior to our being together he dated a Greek girl for 2 years who spoke it fluently.

 

My boyfriend calls me nicknames in Greek, and says "I love you" in the language if he's at work. I recently stumbled accross an old card from his ex, and it is signed "psipsina", the same nickname he now calls me.

 

I got angry and told him I no longer want him to call me that because it's a "recycled language". He said he wouldn't, but that he only called me that because he thinks its a cute word. Was this being harsh, or am I justified in wanting our own unique relationship?

[annie24]

well, lots of people call each other "sweetie" "honey" and "dear." (those names get recycled A LOT!!!) However, if you'd prefer a new nickname, just tell him

[bobo85]

nicknames such as:

 

baby, honey, sweetie, princess, pumkin, dear, ...etc are always used in relationships. When a couple has been together for some time...they will have inside jokes and create UNIQUE nicknames only they will understand.

[NJRon]

Yeah, I had a habit of cxalling exes 'Bunny'.. until one ex found out I did that. Now I use Honey and baby... for some reason, it doesn't bother them. I imagine nicknames that seem "special" don't seem so special when you know they've been used before.

[princessdi75]

let me just say...my boyfriend started calling me "Dee" (wayy back before we started dating - my name is Diana) we started dating and I soon became doodle-dee...and then just doodle...and now I'm POODLE!!! Nothing drives me more crazy than when he says in a baby voice "Who's my little poodle?!??!!" ...as for the greek nickname - i wouldn't take offense to it, it probably has nothing to do with the ex. Can I just ask though, how do you pronounce psipsina? My boyfriend's mom is greek, just curious.

[RayKay]

Well, it happens, I would just tell him you feel uncomfortable with the name

 

I can see why it might bother you to feel as if it's recycled...but there are some terms of endearment that are recycled all the time, it's hard to come up with something affectionate and unique all the time I guess. He does not think of his ex when he uses it on you!

 

My partner has a nickname for me totally unique to me for general use that is unique to "us" and I have one for him as well...but he also uses some other more affectionate terms that I know he has used before, but they don't bother me as they are terms of endearment rather then nicknames.

[chai714]

He also probably told his ex, "I love you." Does that mean he can't say it to you too?

 

I say pick your fights (meaning, choose them carefully). This is hardly worth arguing. The bottom line is that he means well and when people have good intentions then you can't knock 'em.

[Jorus Cbaoth]

He doesn't speak Greek? Maybe this is the only word he knows? If he doesn't know the language how can he make up a new nickname for you? Cut the guy some slack. By the way, "psipsina" is pronounced sip see nuh and it means cat. What a strange nickmame!

[Momene]

My wife has her own nickname and all my exes had unique ones. I think it's best.

[SxcLady]

Only two of my ex's ever gave me nicknames, one time one of them called me a name he used to call his ex all the time and i asked him not to call me it because it made me think he still wanted her... so he came up with another nickname for me. I used to call my ex "pokie" and no it didnt come from during sex or nothing. it was before i even went near him sexually. LOL personal joke between me and my ex, then the name just stuck.

[eleanorrigby1]

Yeah my boyfriend calls me Baby and Honey and one day we were looking through some old files on his computer and he said "oh look at this video its really funny its me and my mates getting pissed" he then warned me that one of his exs appears breifly on it, anyway as we are watching it, on the video he kept shouting over to her to come and smile for the camera and he was shouting "honey!! honey!! come here" and I must admit it made me feel VERY uncomfortable!