# What do you call the different genders? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 14, 2008, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-different-genders/463529 "2008-09-14T03:31:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-different-genders/463529/1 "2008-09-14T03:31:08Z")
For me females are always chicks until I have a name. Males are always dudes. So, what do you have: guys, men, girls, ma’am’s, blokes? SSG Schwartz ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-different-genders/463529/2 "2008-09-14T03:50:27Z")
I also use dude for guys but for women it depends if I’m talking about them its chicks if I’m talking to them its babe. Not sure how I developed the habit but if I don’t know a girls name I use babe. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-different-genders/463529/3 "2008-09-14T03:59:27Z")
Men or guys, and women or girls. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-different-genders/463529/4 "2008-09-14T04:00:46Z")
Depends on context I guess… girls & guys, informally; women & hmm oddly enough I don’t refer to males in the plural/collective in a formal context, I guess I just avoid it. Somehow “men” always seems silly. I can’t use the term without rolling my eyes at least internally… ---
**Author:** ![bbs2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bbs2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbs2k)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-different-genders/463529/5 "2008-09-14T04:04:42Z")
Guys = “Man”, as in “Hey man, how’s it going?” Girls = “Lady”, as in “Hey there lady.” Also, I have the annoying habit of nicknaming everyone with shorter versions of their name. For example I’ll tell people “My brother Mike is marrying Al in November.” I know I live in a state where gay marriage is legal, but “Al” is short for Allison. \*“Whattup dawg?” \*[/Randy Jackson] ---
**Author:** ![Dinaroozie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Dinaroozie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinaroozie)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-different-genders/463529/6 "2008-09-14T05:46:50Z")
For those I consider roughly in my age group, guys and girls. For those I consider a generation older than me, men and women. Not sure how that’ll change as I get older, though (I’m twenty-three now). Also, though, I’ve noticed that it’s more to do with the context they’re being considered - someone I’m talking about in a personal context will be a guy or a girl, whereas someone I have an entirely professional relationship with is more likely to be a man or a woman. These aren’t rules I deliberately follow though - merely observations made after the fact. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-different-genders/463529/7 "2008-09-14T06:17:47Z")
Males= Turd; Dickweed; Wild-Dick Female= Chick; Female ---
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-different-genders/463529/8 "2008-09-14T06:26:51Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > Males= Turd; Dickweed; Wild-Dick > Female= Chick; Female Bear, I thought you got the AR that said those terms were classified WRT males. 😉 SSG Schwartz ---
**Author:** ![SpecialAgentJem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@SpecialAgentJem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpecialAgentJem)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-different-genders/463529/9 "2008-09-14T10:27:31Z")
Manny or wifey - well sometimes. I mostly use man or woman, I ve heard my parents use dame for a woman and bloke for a man. Some people use quine for a young girl around these parts. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-different-genders/463529/10 "2008-09-14T10:36:00Z")
> [@bbs2k](#): > > Guys = “Man”, as in “Hey man, how’s it going?” > > Girls = “Lady”, as in “Hey there lady.” > Also, I have the annoying habit of nicknaming everyone with shorter versions of their name. Word, b! ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-different-genders/463529/11 "2008-09-14T23:57:10Z")
I use guys/dudes or chicks/dudes. In my mind dude is gender neutral. ---
**Author:** ![BetsQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@BetsQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BetsQ)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2008, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-the-different-genders/463529/12 "2008-09-15T01:29:03Z")
“Men” and “women.” “Guys” may be used in a collective, gender-neutral sort of way, as in “hey, guys, wanna go to lunch?” When I’m coaching my 6yo’s baseball team, I use “boys” or “gentlemen.” The latter may be wishful thinking.