Being called sweetie, sweetheart, baby, etc. by strangers

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When I was in primary school and my teachers used to call me, "sweet-pea;" this used to make me cringe, then...
NOW, I'm 16 and in school some of my peers and some of teachers call me "sweetie" or "darling." I really can't stand when they do that because it makes me feel even more awkward than I already do, and makes me majorly uncomfortable. My friends also try to hold my hands or hug me and I absolutely DETEST that!

...Does anyone else get that impression from people?

I've always liked hearing terms of endearment as long as it feels friendly and genuine. It doesn't matter what the person's age or sex is. There's a newsstand where an Indian woman calls "Hello, luv" to almost everyone who walks in. It always sounds like she means it. So I'd rather go in there than any other place.

On the flip side, I don't like when men call me "dear" in a certain tone. For my whole life, it's sounded condescending. It's like they use it to punctuate a point they're making - one they didn't expect you'd get on your own. Feh.

I'm in northern Florida...not exactly the "Deep South" but close enough that sometimes the hicks out here in the country use darlin', honey or sweetie...never been called babe or baby by anyone I didn't know though (& that would definitly creep me out!)
I absolutly loath being called sweetie, honey or darlin'; especially by people I don't know. Most of the time they are using it instead of Ma'am (to NORTHERN for these hicks) and I try to just ignore it. But when a CHILD (teenage cashier etc) calls me it, I always correct them.

Where I live (Deep South) it's really common. I do it myself all the time. I even do it to people in authority (cops, judges, doctors) and they do it right back, if they didn't do it first. It's just a way of "being nice".

"Baby" or "babe" is more of a girlfriend thing to be called by a guy in my age group, or a guy hitting on you. Except in Louisiana, it's real common there and means nothing. It's also the term of endearment I use with anyone when they are crying.

Basically, depending on where you are, it doesn't mean anything at all.

i find it quite comforting. it's quite common with people local to where i live i think, and is generally just a friendly thing- no negative intentions

The people that call me honey, sweetie and etc. are generally grandmotherly types. I live in the South of the US and it really means nothing except that the person is feeling amiable. No one is implying anything derogatory. If I was a lawyer and the judge called me that, then I would feel differently. It's all in the context.

that's true, i've never been called sweetie by a judge

I live in a small town and most people know each other. I doubt it would happen in Birmingham or Atlanta. Although in Birmingham I did know a lawyer who called everybody "hon" or "baby".

i cant STAND it! The other day someone called me Baby.

My response? "You Didnt Just Call Me Baby, did you?"

LOL

I live on Cape Breton Island and I hear people say "dear" or "sweetheart" to me all the time, usually woman older or even younger at the stores, or in restaurants. I know they're just saying it to be friendly, it's not a come-on or anything. But one time someone from Halifax was offended by it and wrote some stupid letter to our paper, raising a stink about it. Big-city people, sheesh.

Being called "sweet-pea" would make me cringe too. The only time I ever remember hearing that used much was on a prison show.

I don't really like men calling me things like dear or sweetie or anything else that seems to imply that they see me as a sweet little girl.

Teachers would sometimes call me "hun," and they still do to this day! I don't really mind being called that or "sweetie" by either one of my friends or an adult. But if an adult ever called me "babe" or "baby," THEN that gets kind of creepy, only my boyfriend or my close friends can call me those names. If a boy my age or maybe even a little bit older call me any of those names, I feel really awkward, so I ask them not to call me what ever name to call me because I have a boyfriend and I don't like when random boys come up to me and start flirting. I makes me feel so uneasy

It doesn't bother me too much but I don't understand why older women likes to call others sweety honey etc.
Often times it comes across as being fake and it doesn't sound genuine.

I Hate it.

This "girl" I work with (she's the same age as me, 54) calls everyone "Hon" - me, the boss, customers, and other coworkers. I cringe every time I hear it. To me, it's very disrespectful. With her, it's not just the word, but the tone of her voice - whiney-like, "What, Huuuuuuun?"

I guess I'm old-fashioned that way, but I believe in calling casual acquaintances by their first name, bosses, customers, and people older than me "Sir", or "Ma'am", or by their last name.

I can't stand being called sweetie. It make me feel as if I'm being treated like a child. I sure don't feel like a child because I'm almost eighteen years old; therefore I don't want to be treated like one. I would rather be called miss or mam because it sounds more mature and respectful. One of my friends calls everyone sweetie so I guess I get used to being called that by her. If the person calls everyone "sweetie" or "hon" I don't feel as irritated by it.

I get it quite often at my work (petrol station), and I absolutely hate it. Maybe it's because I look so young, I don't know.

I don't do it to customers, I call them sir and ma'am.