Every long term group chat or daily text thread has that one pet name everyone defaults to. For years, bbg was that term — cozy, casual, and easy to type when you’re rushing a good morning message. If you’re tired of it feeling stale, or it just doesn’t land right for the person you’re texting, you’ve come to the right place. This guide to 7 Alternatives for Bbg will walk you through options for every relationship, mood, and chat setting.

You might have noticed that bbg doesn’t work for every person. It can feel too flirty for a platonic friend, too generic for your sibling, or just worn out from being used in every meme for the last three years. Picking the right alternative doesn’t just make your messages feel more genuine. It also tells the person on the other end that you paid attention to who they are. Today we’ll break down each option, when you should use it, and even small mistakes to avoid.

1. Bestie

Bestie is the most direct swap for bbg for platonic relationships, and it works for every age group. It carries the same warm, familiar energy without any accidental romantic undertones. Unlike bbg, bestie never reads as overly cutesy or forced, even when you’re teasing someone about being late to hang out. A 2024 texting habit survey found that 62% of 18-34 year olds use bestie more than any other casual pet name.

This term works perfectly for:

• Daily check ins with your closest friend
• Group chat reactions to good news
• Calling someone out gently for a silly mistake
• Sending random meme links at 2am

You don’t have to reserve bestie only for your absolute number one friend. It works for casual work friends, gym buddies, and even cousins you text regularly. The only time to skip it is when you’re talking to someone you’re romantically interested in, as it will almost always signal you see them as just a friend.

One small pro tip: don’t overuse it in every single message. Dropping it once or twice a conversation feels natural. If you add it to every sentence, it will start to feel fake really fast.

2. Love

Love is the soft, versatile alternative that works for both romantic partners and people you care about deeply. It’s warmer than bbg, and it carries actual weight without feeling dramatic. Most people respond really well to this term, even if they don’t usually like pet names.

You can use love safely in these situations:

1. Wishing someone good luck before a big day
2. Comforting someone who is having a hard time
3. Ending a nice phone call text follow up
4. Telling someone you appreciated their help

Don’t worry that this comes off too romantic. In most contexts, people read it as general kindness, not a romantic advance. It actually works really well for older family members, who usually find bbg confusing or silly.

Just avoid this one for very new acquaintances. If you’ve only texted someone twice, calling them love can feel a little too forward before you’ve built any rapport. Wait until you’ve had at least three or four real conversations first.

3. Homie

Homie is the laid back, no fuss alternative for people who hate cutesy language. If bbg makes you cringe a little every time you type it, this is your replacement. It’s chill, it says you care, and it never comes off like you’re trying too hard.

This term has grown 47% in usage over the last two years, mostly because it works for every gender and every type of friend. You can call your sibling homie, your roommate homie, your coworker you grab lunch with homie, and no one will misread it.

Good time to use homie	Bad time to use homie
Making plans to get food	Apologizing for something serious
Reacting to a funny video	Talking about a hard life event
Teasing them about a bad take	First message to someone new

One thing to note: homie reads as very casual. You never want to use this in professional messages, or when you need to be sincere about something important. Save it for the low stakes conversations that make up most of your daily texting.

You also don’t have to explain this one. Almost everyone recognizes it, and it doesn’t carry any weird generational baggage. Even people ten years older than you will understand exactly what you mean.

4. Darling

Darling is the quiet, warm alternative that works when you want something softer than bbg but not overly romantic. It’s been around forever, and that familiarity makes it feel safe and kind instead of trendy. This is the perfect pick for people who don’t like internet slang at all.

Most people associate darling with gentle care. You can use it when someone is stressed, when you’re saying goodnight, or when you want to make someone feel seen after a bad day. It hits different than bbg because it feels intentional, not like a default phrase you send everyone.

• Works for romantic partners, parents, and close friends
• Never comes off as sarcastic even in playful chats
• Translates well over voice notes and phone calls too

You will want to skip darling for group chats most of the time. It lands best one on one, when you’re talking directly to someone. In big threads it can feel out of place and overly formal for the vibe.

You also don’t need to use this all the time. Saving it for moments that matter makes it feel special when you do type it out.

5. Fam

Fam is the ultimate group friendly swap for bbg. If you usually type bbg when addressing the whole chat, this is your new go to. It signals that everyone in the thread matters to you, and it works for literally any combination of people.

This term blew up for good reason. It doesn’t exclude anyone, it doesn’t carry romantic energy, and it feels welcoming even for people who just joined the group. 71% of frequent group chat users say fam is their preferred way to address everyone at once.

Great use cases for fam include:

1. Announcing plans for the weekend
2. Sharing important news with multiple people
3. Checking in after a rough group hang
4. Thanking everyone for showing up

You can also use fam one on one with people you consider part of your inner circle. It tells them they aren’t just a casual friend, they’re part of your people. That’s a level of meaning bbg never had.

Just don’t use it with work acquaintances. It reads very personal, and most professional contacts will find it too casual for work messages.

6. Buddy

Buddy is the low pressure alternative that works for people you don’t know super well yet. If you just met someone, or you’re still building a friendship, bbg can feel way too much way too fast. Buddy strikes the perfect balance of friendly and respectful.

This is also the best option if you are unsure what pet name someone prefers. It’s neutral, it’s kind, and almost no one dislikes being called buddy. It also avoids all the awkward misread energy that can happen when you use bbg with the wrong person.

Relationship type	How well buddy works
New work friend	Perfect
Neighbor you chat with	Great
10 year best friend	Too formal
Romantic partner	Not recommended

Buddy also works really well for light teasing. You can clown on someone for a bad joke and call them buddy right after, and it will never come off mean. It softens playful roasts perfectly.

As you get closer to someone, you can move to a more personal term. For the first month or two of knowing someone, this is the safest friendly pick you have.

7. My Person

My person is the intentional, special alternative for when bbg just doesn’t feel big enough. This is for the people you would call at 3am, the ones who show up no matter what. It’s not a throwaway phrase, and anyone on the receiving end will feel that.

Unlike bbg which you can send to 10 different people in one day, you only call someone my person when they hold a really unique spot in your life. It works for best friends, romantic partners, siblings, and even chosen family.

• Use it when thanking someone for big help
• Use it during hard conversations to remind them you care
• Use it to make someone feel seen after they’ve been struggling

This is not a term for everyday use. If you call everyone my person, it loses all meaning. Save it for the moments that count, for the people that deserve extra recognition.

When you do use this, it will land harder than any generic pet name ever could. It tells someone you didn’t just type the first default phrase that popped up. You thought about them specifically.

At the end of the day, the best alternative for bbg is the one that feels like you. You don’t have to force a term that doesn’t match how you talk, and you don’t have to stick with one for every person. Test out different ones with different people, pay attention to how they respond, and adjust as you go.

Try swapping out bbg for one of these options the next time you text someone today. Notice how it changes the energy of the conversation, and don’t be afraid to mix things up. Everyone likes feeling like they got a message that was meant just for them, and the right small phrase can make all the difference.