# Would Like An Adult Term for SO, Boyfriend, Girlfriend **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 2, 2004, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-like-an-adult-term-for-so-boyfriend-girlfriend/232108 "2004-03-02T14:31:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-like-an-adult-term-for-so-boyfriend-girlfriend/232108/21 "2004-03-02T19:41:02Z")
I went to a party with my boyfriend (we’re 25 and 30 respectively) and I introduced myself to a girl there. She shook my hand and looked at my boy and asked “and who do you love?” I thought that was cute. I refer to him as my boyfriend in real life because the people to whom I’m talking can see how old we are. Online, I refer to him as my SO or as Ardred on these boards. (he doesn’t have a username yet, but he will if I can get him addicted). I feel like I’m 13 when I say boyfriend online, but not in person because I’m obviously not prepubescent. I don’t see anything wrong with boyfriend. But you could get engaged and call him your fiancee. (hopefully pronounced like FIE-ANCE). That cracks me up. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-like-an-adult-term-for-so-boyfriend-girlfriend/232108/22 "2004-03-02T19:48:05Z")
> [@FilmGeek](#): > > I went to a party with my boyfriend (we’re 25 and 30 respectively) Oh, that’s going to get me in trouble. He’s 29. 29. 29. Keep repeating it **FilmGeek**. 🙂 (for honesty’s sake, I won’t be 25 until Thursday.) ---
**Author:** ![kasuo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@kasuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kasuo)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-like-an-adult-term-for-so-boyfriend-girlfriend/232108/23 "2004-03-02T22:15:42Z")
Call him your “sperm repository;” he can call you his “egg repository.” Or you can both use the term “geneto-mate” interchangeably ala Coneheads-style. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-like-an-adult-term-for-so-boyfriend-girlfriend/232108/24 "2004-03-02T22:37:09Z")
How about wench? ---
**Author:** ![BraveNewSquirle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@BraveNewSquirle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BraveNewSquirle)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-like-an-adult-term-for-so-boyfriend-girlfriend/232108/25 "2004-03-02T23:17:03Z")
Go with the simple “dude.” He can call you his “chick.” Short of that, you could use “person I fuck.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-like-an-adult-term-for-so-boyfriend-girlfriend/232108/26 "2004-03-02T23:20:58Z")
Same problem in Dutch. I cannot think of an elegant way to solve it either. "Hello. I’m Sunrise. I’m with Kirk. Kirk, this is whats-her-face. " “Hello, I’m Sunrise and this is my Kirk.” ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-like-an-adult-term-for-so-boyfriend-girlfriend/232108/27 "2004-03-02T23:47:54Z")
“SO” doesn’t suggest gay couples to me, but it does have somewhat clinical connotations. I hear “significant other” and I’m imagining a contract with signatures and wax seals. I’m 32, and I call the **jillelope** my girlfriend, for lack of a better term. In the right tone it can be kind of playful and fun. “Main squeeze” works as well. This discussion reminds of a gal I dated in college. She was the singer in a local band, and I’d go see their shows pretty often. She advised that if anyone asked me who I was, I shold point at the band up on stage and say, “See the singer? I’m nailing her.” This was funnier in concept than in practice. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-like-an-adult-term-for-so-boyfriend-girlfriend/232108/28 "2004-03-03T00:07:19Z")
I call them “persons.” My sister, for example, has a male partner. He is her person. “My sister and her person are coming to dinner.” Okay, I’ll admit it sounds like he’s a pet, but it’s the best solution I’ve come up with! Julie ---
**Author:** ![Stainz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Stainz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stainz)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-like-an-adult-term-for-so-boyfriend-girlfriend/232108/29 "2004-03-03T00:42:40Z")
Any “6 Feet Under Fans” here? I prefer “Fuck Puppet” … 🙂 Seriously, IRL I call **McDeath** my boyfriend. But in here for some reason I call him my SO. IRL he calls me his girlfriend, etc. I would never actually call him my “Significant Other” IRL. Sounds too pretentious somehow. Wish I had an answer for you. I don’t think there is one. But I know what you mean, I’m 33, he’s 28 … so I’ve sometimes wished there was a better term too! How about “beloved”? Oooh - i like that one … wonder what McDeath will think? ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-like-an-adult-term-for-so-boyfriend-girlfriend/232108/30 "2004-03-03T01:16:24Z")
A friend of mine used to work for a government agency. He wrote a form. On it it had a space for: Spouse or Spousal Substitute BTW, not to scare you or anything, but this is how I ended up married. One day, over frozen pizza, my very romantic spousal substitute looked at me and said “We should get married.” “Why?” “Because I’m tired of referring to you as “that-shameless-hussy-I’m-shacked-up-with.” Wife is so much shorter.” Can’t argue with that. ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-like-an-adult-term-for-so-boyfriend-girlfriend/232108/31 "2004-03-03T07:48:22Z")
What’s wrong with Significant Other? It’s a lovely name. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-like-an-adult-term-for-so-boyfriend-girlfriend/232108/32 "2004-03-03T07:57:23Z")
Here in Texas we call’m the ol’ man and the ol’ lady. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-like-an-adult-term-for-so-boyfriend-girlfriend/232108/33 "2004-03-03T09:13:50Z")
Why not “Manfriend” and “Womanfriend”? 🙂 When I hear “partner” or “companion”, I do tend to associate it more with gay people. I know a few older folks who use boyfriend/girlfriend, and it doesn’t seem strange to me. If I were in that position, that’s the word I would use. ---
**Author:** ![Empress\_Jolrael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@Empress\_Jolrael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Empress_Jolrael)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-like-an-adult-term-for-so-boyfriend-girlfriend/232108/34 "2004-03-03T10:39:35Z")
“Significant other” does sound pretty clinical. “SO,” however, seems pretty casual. ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-like-an-adult-term-for-so-boyfriend-girlfriend/232108/35 "2004-03-03T12:53:47Z")
You can always do what some of my college buddies did. They used SO but pretended it was an abbreviation for something other than significant other. They came up with things like “Sentiant Organism” “salient Obilisk”. The bigger the word the better. Of course, I’m not sure that this makes you look more grown-up. ---
**Author:** ![HDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/bb73d2/32.png) [@HDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HDS)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-like-an-adult-term-for-so-boyfriend-girlfriend/232108/36 "2004-03-03T13:07:03Z")
I always liked knight in shining armour. An elderly teacher refererred to her gentleman friend that way and it was the sweetest thing. Yay for old love! ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-like-an-adult-term-for-so-boyfriend-girlfriend/232108/37 "2004-03-03T13:08:27Z")
While my friend and I are both married, we tend to refer to our respective husbands as “my sweetie” - is that too cutesy? I’m none too keen on using boyfriend or girlfriend too far beyond high school, but I can’t offer a much better suggestion than that. I called my husband at work once and got to joking with the secretary (he wasn’t there so she got the phone.) I told her to leave a message for my stud muffin. In the “Called By” space, she wrote “Your Muffette” - cracked me up! ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-like-an-adult-term-for-so-boyfriend-girlfriend/232108/38 "2004-03-03T14:33:24Z")
I remember an old Doonesbury strip where Joanie Caucus is introducing Rick Redfern to Lacey Davenport. Joanie and Rick were living together and not married yet. “This is Rick. He’s my…um…” “Your young man, dear.” ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-like-an-adult-term-for-so-boyfriend-girlfriend/232108/39 "2004-03-03T15:18:19Z")
> [@SHAKES](#): > > Here in Texas we call’m the ol’ man and the ol’ lady. 😉 Me and the ol’ man do that, but folks sure do frown on it. Tough shit, I say. ---
**Author:** ![mlerose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@mlerose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlerose)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-like-an-adult-term-for-so-boyfriend-girlfriend/232108/40 "2004-03-03T18:33:00Z")
I second **jsgoddess** ’s idea, and will say that I’ve called the superhero my person for quite a while now. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-like-an-adult-term-for-so-boyfriend-girlfriend/232108.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-like-an-adult-term-for-so-boyfriend-girlfriend/232108.md?page=3)